2017.03.1505:42:00UTC+00Czech Retail Sales Growth Accelerates In January

Czech retail sales growth accelerated in January after easing in the previous month, figures from the Czech Statistical office showed Wednesday.

Retail sales, excluding automobile trade rose an unadjusted 5.6 percent year-over-year in January, faster than the 3.0 percent climb in December.

Sales of food, beverages and tobacco in specialized stores grew 6.0 percent over the year and sale of automotive fuel alone advanced by 7.5 percent.

On a calendar-adjusted basis, retail sales rose 3.3 percent in January from a year ago.

Retail sales, including sale of automotive trade surged 7.7 percent annually in January, much more than the 3.7 percent gain in the prior month. That was also above the 7.5 percent spike expected by economists.

Month-on-month, retail sales increased a seasonally adjusted 1.0 percent at the start of the year.