UK retail sales fall at faster pace than expected in September

UK retail sales were weaker than expected in September, declining on month and growing at a slower pace on-year, numbers from the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday.

The ONS said retail sales volumes fell 0.4% in September from August. They had risen 0.7% in August from July, upwardly revised from an initially reported 0.5% climb.

September's monthly reading fell short of the consensus, with a smaller 0.1% decline forecast, according to FXStreet.

On-year, retail sales rose 0.8% in September, slowing markedly from a 2.7% climb in August. A rise of 1% had been expected for last month, according to consensus cited by FXStreet.

It represents the weakest annual retail sales performance since a 0.3% fall in April.

For the whole of the third quarter, retail sales rose 1.5% on-year, the ONS said. They were up 0.7% from the second quarter.

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