FX.co ★ Euro Area Retail Sales Shrink in April

Retail sales volumes in the Eurozone declined by 0.4% month‑over‑month in April 2026, following an upwardly revised 0.8% increase in March and compared with market expectations for a 0.3% decrease. By category, sales fell 0.9% for non‑food products (excluding automotive fuel) and dropped 2.7% for automotive fuel in specialised stores, while sales of food, drinks, and tobacco rose 0.9%. Among the bloc’s largest economies, retail sales fell 0.2% in Germany and 1.5% in Spain, while France recorded a 0.3% increase. On an annual basis, Eurozone retail sales were up 1%, easing from an upwardly revised 2.1% gain in March but still ahead of the 0.3% growth expected by analysts.