UK retail sales declined in May as high cost of living pulled consumer sentiment to a record low and weighed on households' spending in food stores, data showed on Friday. Retail sales volume dropped 0.5 percent month-on-month in May, reversing a revised 0.4 percent increase in April, the Office for National Statistics said. Economists had forecast sales to drop 0.7 percent after April's initially estimated 1.4 percent increase.
Food sales declined 1.6 percent on month in May as consumers reduced their spending in food stores reflecting the impact of rising food prices.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.