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Retail sales increased 0.9 per cent in volume in November compared to a year earlier, the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show. However, once the motor industry is excluded, core retail sales fell 0.9 per cent, indicating a tough start to the Christmas trading season for many retailers.

The volumes of goods sold, excluding cars, also fell 0.2 per cent last month compared to October, suggesting that the heightened economic uncertainty posed by the Government's loan negotiations with the European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reduced consumers' willingness to spend.