Investing.com - U.K. retail sales recorded their strongest monthly growth in almost two years last month, boosted by strong beer sales linked to the Rugby World Cup hosted in England and Wales.
Retail sales volumes surged by 1.9 percent in September, far higher than economists' forecasts for a 0.3 percent rise, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.
The ONS cited falling store prices and Rugby World Cup promotions as the biggest contributors to the better data.
For the 12 months to September, retail sales were up by 6.5 percent, their biggest increase since November 2014 and well ahead of forecasts of a 4.8 percent rise.
The strong report boosted optimism over the country’s economic outlook and supported the case for higher interest rates.