CBI upbeat on retail sales

NEW evidence of booming high street sales in Britain was unveiled yesterday by the Confederation of British Industry.

Last month 67 per cent of retailers reported higher sales than a year earlier, compared with only 12 per cent who reported a reduction.

The positive balance of 55 per cent is the largest since the height of the last consumer fling in August 1988, while orders placed with suppliers rose at their sharpest pace since January of that year.