Norway's retail sales increased for the first time in four months in October, mainly as a result of higher demand for cultural and recreational goods, preliminary data from Statistics Norway showed on Monday.
The volume of retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6 percent month-on-month in October, reversing a 0.3 percent stable decline in the prior month.
Retail sales of sales of cultural and recreational goods alone grew by 2.9 percent compared to September, and those of automotive fuel climbed by 1.3 percent.
On the other hand, sales of information communication technology equipment showed a decline of 2.8 percent.
On a yearly basis, retail sales declined at a slower pace of 0.9 percent in October, following a 2.5 percent fall a month ago.
Separate official data showed household consumption rose 2.3 percent monthly in October, after a 0.3 percent gain in the preceding month.
