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.
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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.