UK retail sales growth trails forecast

United Kingdom`s retail sales excluding auto fuel slumped 1.4% in April compared with the prior drop of 0.7%, missing median estimate for a 0.1% rise. From a year earlier, retail sales growth eased to 0.2% from 0.4%, below analysts` forecast of 0.1%.

Including auto fuel, retail sales fell 1.3% month-on-month in April after they dropped 0.6% in March, trailing analysts` forecast of 1.8%. From a year back, the index saw an annual growth pace of 0.5%, down from 0.5% contraction, and analysts` forecast of 2.0% growth.