Italy’s retail sales rise for second month 

Rome, Jul. 7, (dpa-AFX/GNA) - Italy’s retail sales increased for the second straight month in May as sales of food and non-food items advanced, data from the statistical office ISTAT showed on Friday. 

The retail sales value climbed 0.7% month-on-month in May after rising 0.2% in the previous month. Economists had expected only a 0.1% gain. 

The value of sales of non-food items grew 1.1% over the month, and sales of food goods increased by 0.2%. 

On a yearly basis, retail sales growth eased to 3.0% in May from 3.2% in April. 

Online sales were 1.5% higher in May compared to last year, but slower than the 2.8% rise in the preceding month. 

Data also showed that the volume of retail sales recovered 0.2% monthly versus a 0.1% fall in April. 

GNA