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Retail sales in Britain unexpectedly rose last month as the new year sales attracted bargain-hungry shoppers. Sales of clothing, shoes, books and CDs all saw strong growth, but economists warned this was unlikely to continue as unemployment climbs further, reports the Guardian.
Retail sales volumes gained 0.7% in January from the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). City analysts had expected a fall of 0.1%.
The ONS said there was evidence of widespread discounting in clothing and footwear, which posted a 6.1% jump in sales, the biggest rise since May. Sales at other stores, such as bookshops and music stores, shot up by 6%, the largest monthly increase since January 1988.