Euro zone retail sales on a month-on-month basis fell short of market expectations in March, signalling continued weakness in consumer demand in the single currency area.
European Union statistics office Eurostat said retail sales in the 16 countries using the euro were flat month-on-month in March and 0.1 per cent lower than in the same period of 2009.
Economists had on average expected a 0.2 per cent monthly increase and a 0.5 per cent year-on-year fall.
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