Czech February Retail Sales Growth Biggest Since 2008

(RTTNews) - Czech retail sales grew the most in nearly six-and-a-half years during February, preliminary data from the Czech Statistical Office showed Friday.

Retail sales excluding automobile trade rose a working-day adjusted 6.3 percent annually, following 5.8 percent gain in each of the previous two months. Economists had expected 6 percent growth for February.

Sales increased for a third consecutive month and the latest pace of growth was the biggest since September 2008, when sales rose 8.7 percent.

Sales of automotive fuel grew 10.3 percent and those of non-food goods increased 7.9 percent. Food sales increased 3.2 percent.

Month-on-month, retail sales declined a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent in February.