UK retail sales declined more-than-expected in December as the Omicron outbreak dampened Christmas sales, data from the Office for National Statistics showed Friday. Retail sales fell 3.7 percent on a monthly basis in December, reversing the 1 percent increase a month ago. Sales were forecast to fall 0.6 percent. This was the biggest decline since January 2021.
Likewise, sales volume excluding auto fuel, decreased 3.6 percent after rising 0.7 percent in November. This was also much bigger than the economists' forecast of -0.5 percent.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.