UK retail sales grew unexpectedly in March largely due to a rise in fuel sales as motorists stocked up on fuel amid the war in the Middle East, the Office for National Statistics reported Friday.
Retail sales increased 0.7 percent on a monthly basis in March, reversing a 0.6 percent fall in February. The increase also exceeded economists' expectations of flat growth.
Similarly, excluding auto fuel, retail sales grew 0.2 percent, in contrast to the 0.6 percent decrease in February.
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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.