Retail trade in the euro area slipped by 1% in January compared to the same month a year ago, while in the entire European Union, the figure fell by 0.6%, Eurostat revealed in its report on Wednesday. On a monthly basis, the reading was up 0.1% in the Eurozone and rose 0.3% in the entire EU. The sales of non-food products in the Eurozone and the EU decreased by 0.2% and increased by 0.1% month on month, while food, drinks, and tobacco retail trade rose by 1% and 0.8% in the corresponding regions. The sales of automotive fuels grew by 1.7% in the euro area and were up by 1.2% in the EU. Countries marking the highest monthly growth in retail sales were Luxembourg with 7.6%, Romania with 3.8%, and Cyprus with 1.5%. Conversely, the biggest falls were observed in Estonia, where they reached negative 2.6%, and Slovakia and Latvia, which recorded negative 1% and negative 0.8%.
US factory orders down by 3.6% in January
New orders for manufactured goods in the United States observed a monthly decrease of 3.6% or $21.5 billion to come in at $569.7 billion in January, the Census Bureau said in its report published on Tuesday. Shipments decreased $5.7 billion or 1% to stand at $572.3 billion. Unfilled orders increased by $2.1 billion or 0.2% to $1,4 billion. Inventories decreased by 0.1% or $800 million month-on-month to reach $855.8 billion. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.50, up from 1.48 in December. Meanwhile, new orders for manufactured durable goods decreased $21.5 billion or 3.6% to $569.7 billion. NN: like i been saying a global economic slow down.