Eurozone retail sales up 0.2 percent in May

[July 05, 2010]  BRUSSELS (AP) -- Retail sales in the 16-nation eurozone rose by 0.2 percent in May from the previous month and by 0.4 percent across the 27 European Union nations, the statistics agency Eurostat reported Monday.

It said that nonfood sectors -- such as textiles, footwear, electrical goods, furniture, pharmaceutical and medical goods -- posted the largest increases. They rose 0.4 percent in the eurozone and 0.5 percent in the EU.

Food, drinks and tobacco products rose by 0.2 percent in the eurozone and 0.3 percent in the EU last month.

The highest increases in retail trade were posted by Denmark, up 3.8 percent, followed by Poland with 3.5 percent and Estonia with 1.7 percent. The largest drops were recorded in Malta, down 3.8 percent and Portugal, where sales fell 0.8 percent.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.