Eurozone retail sales disappointed in September, falling -0.1% mom, missing expectations of a 0.2% gain. The decline was driven mainly by weaker spending on non-food items, which slipped -0.2%, and a sharp -1.0% drop in automotive fuel sales. Meanwhile, sales of food, drinks, and tobacco were unchanged.
Across the broader EU, retail sales managed a modest 0.1% monthly rise, masking divergent trends among member states. The steepest declines were seen in Lithuania (-1.1%), Latvia and Slovenia (-0.7%), and Italy (-0.6%), while Luxembourg and Malta (+1.7%), along with Estonia (+1.5%) and Slovakia (+1.4%), posted strong rebounds.
