Retail sales values rising

UK retail sales values were up 1.8% on a like-for-like basis from August 2012, when they had decreased 0.4% on the preceding year.
On a total basis, sales were up 3.6%, against a 1.6% increase in August 2012.
Online sales of non-food products in the UK grew 15.0% in August versus a year earlier, on a weighted basis, representing its best performance this year.
In August 2012, the unweighted RSM non-food non-store indicator had increased by 4.8% over the previous year, the lowest online growth ever recorded.

High street sales rising

Overall like-for-like high street sales in August were up 3.5% – the highest increase since February
Homewares sales were particularly strong. The year-on-year increase of 20.2% was the sector’s highest since June 2007
Non-fashion recorded a sales increase of 8.7%

The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 12.1% in July 2013, stable compared with June.
The EU281 unemployment rate was 11.0%, also stable compared with June4.
In both zones, rates have risen compared with July 2012, when they were 11.5% and 10.5% respectively.
26.654 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 19.231 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in July 2013.
Compared with June 2013, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 33 000 in the EU28 and by 15 000 in the euro area.
Compared with July 2012, unemployment rose by 995 000 in the EU28 and by 1.008 million in the euro area

Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 1.3% in August 2013, down from 1.6% in July