MNI 5 Things: Black Friday Surge Masks Retail Sales Slowdown

By Laurie Laird and Jamie Satchi

     LONDON (MNI) - The following are the key points from retail sales data

published Thursday by the Office for National Statistics.

     - Retail sales jumped by a much higher-than-expected 1.4% between October

and November, lifted by Black Friday promotional activity.

     - However, sales rose by just 0.4% in the three months to November, below

the already-sluggish 0.5% gain in October, the fourth straight 3m fall and down

from a recent high of 2.4% back in July.

     - Black Friday has shifted shopping patterns in the UK since 2013, but

National Statisticians expressed faith in the seasonal factors used to adjust

the data.

     - However, the statisticians did regard the non-seasonally adjusted jump in

online sales to a record-high 21.5% in November as a better indication of

internet activity, rather than the seasonally adjusted rate of 18.2%.

     - The November buying binge leaves the retail sector on track to boost Q4

GDP. Sales could fall by as much as 1.0% between November and December and leave

volumes on level pegging with Q3.

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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