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The
CBI's September monthly retail sales survey - conducted between
Aug. 25 and Sept. 13 - showed the headline balance rebound to a
three-month high of -14 from August's more than two year low of
-44.
"There are some elements of optimism in our survey with
retailers expecting the recent fall in sales to continue to
ease," CBI Principal Economist Martin Sartorius said.
"Last week's lower than expected inflation figures, which in
turn will ease pressure on household budgets, will also give
retailers some hope going into the crucial autumn and winter
trading period," he added.
Retailers' expected sales balance for October rose to a
three-month high of -8.
Britain's most recent official retail sales data showed a 0.8%
month-on-month growth in sales volumes in August after a sharp
1.1% drop in July, when unusually wet weather upset normal
summer spending patterns.
Consumer price inflation also fell unexpectedly last month,
dropping to 6.7% from July's 6.8%, its lowest level in 18 months
and prompting the Bank of England to hold off from raising
interest rates last week.
However, the CBI did warn that higher oil and fuel prices "could
mean sticky inflation is with us for a while longer."
The chief executive of supermarket Aldi UK said on Monday that
cost of living concerns continued to influence food shopping
habits.
(Reporting by David Milliken, Editing by Kylie MacLellan)
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