Investing.com - UK retail sales rose 1.3% in May, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.
This was compared to a 1.8% increase in the previous month which was revised up from an initial 1.6% advance.
Economists had forecast a reading of just 0.5%.
Year-on-year, retail sales rose by 3.9% last month.
Analysts had penciled in a 2.4% gain.
Sales in April advanced 1.4% from the year before.
Core retail sales, which exclude automobile sales and fuel, increased by 1.3% in May, after gaining 1.4% a month earlier. April’s advance was revised up from an initial increase of 1.3%.
Economists had expected a 0.3% rise.
Year-on-year, core retail sales gained 4.4% in May, compared to expectations for a 2.5% increase.
A month earlier, they registered a 1.4% advance which was revised down from an initial 1.5% rise.