Retail sales in Ireland witnessed a growth for the second consecutive time in December, with an increase in pace, according to the preliminary data from the Central Statistics Office released on Monday.
There was a seasonal adjustment of 0.9 percent in the volume of retail sales in December, which succeeded a 0.5 percent uptick in the previous month.
Breaking down the categories, the largest monthly drop was seen in the motor trade, which nevertheless increased by 5.2 percent. This was then trailed by other retail sales with an advancement of 2.7 percent. There was also a sales boost for clothing, footwear and textiles sectors by an increment of 2.1 percent.
When motor trades were excluded, there was a minor monthly rise in the volume of retail sales by 0.3 percent.
Simultaneously, a drop of 2.8 percent in sales was seen concerning books, newspapers, and stationery since November. Sales of food, beverages, and tobacco in specialised stores also fell by 1.4 percent.
According to the data, retail sales growth - on an annual basis - hit a five-month high, accelerating to 3.9 percent in December, up from 1.1 percent in November.
The sales value data showed an increase by 6.9 percent annually and by 2.1 percent monthly in December.
