UK retail sales growth hits 10 year high in April
UK retail sales grew by 6.9% in April compared with the same month a year earlier, new figures show, making it the strongest annual rise in ten years.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said retail sales jumped by 1.3% between March and April beating analysts' forecasts for a 0.5% rise.
The retail figures come a day after official figures showed inflation increased to 1.8% in April, up from a four year low of 1.6% in March.
Meanwhile, the latest set of figures for average wage growth showed earnings grew by 1.7% in the year to March.
Economics editor Robert Peston reports.
21 May 2014
- From the section Business