Retail sales steady across Europe

Retail sales were rose marginally in the European Union in September compared with August, the official data office Eurostat said Wednesday. In the 27-nation EU, sales rose 0.1 percent month-to-month. For the 17-member eurozone, however, sales fell 0.2 percent in the same period. The gain in the EU was helped primarily by a 0.5 percent increase in food, drinks and tobacco sales, which rose 0.8 percent in the eurozone. Without that category, retail sales fell 0.1 percent in the EU and 0.6 percent in the eurozone. Sales rose month-to-month in 12 of the reporting countries and fell in eight, with data incomplete for seven others. The largest month-to-month increases among nations were in Denmark (up 2.4 percent), Estonia (up 2 percent) and Germany (up 1.5 percent.) The largest decreases month-to-month were in Spain (with sales off 7.3 percent), Portugal (down 4 percent) and Slovenia (down 2.7 percent).