Ireland’s retail sales down in August
The volume of retail sales decreased by 4.7 percent in August compared to July, according to figures released on Wednesday. The statistics from the Central Statistics Office showed that the big monthly fall was mainly due to weaker new car sales following the strong showing in July as the 162 registration plates came into operation. But on an annual basis, the volume of retail sales rose by 5.2 percent, the CSO said. Economists here said that although retail sales remain erratic on a monthly basis, the underlying trend is still positive.