UK Retail Sales rise 0.5% MoM in April vs. 0.3% expected

The UK Retail Sales came in at 0.5% MoM in April, beating estimates.
Core Retail Sales for the UK jumped 0.8% MoM in April.
GBP/USD holds the bounce below 1.2350 on mixed UK data.

Dhwani Mehta FXStreet

The UK Retail Sales rose 0.5% over the month in April vs. 0.3% expected and -1.2% previous. The Core Retail Sales, stripping the auto motor fuel sales, increased 0.8% MoM vs. 0.3% expected and -1.4% previous.

The annual UK Retail Sales declined 3.0% in April versus -2.8% expected and March’s -3.9% figure while the Core Retail Sales decreased 2.6% in the reported month versus -2.8% expectations and -4.0% previous.

Main points (via ONS)

Non-food stores sales volumes rose by 1.0% in April 2023, following a fall of 1.8% in March when poor weather conditions throughout most of March affected sales.

Food stores sales volumes rose by 0.7% in April 2023, following a fall of 0.8% in March 2023; sales volumes were 2.7% below their pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) February 2020 levels.

Non-store retailing (mainly online retailers) sales volumes rose by 0.2% in April 2023, following a fall of 1.4% in March 2023.

Despite falling fuel prices, automotive fuel sales volumes fell by 2.2% in April 2023, following a rise of 0.1% in March 2023.

FX implications

GBP/USD is sustaining its minor recovery at around 1.2335 after mixed UK Retail Sales data. The spot was last seen trading up 0.13% on the day.

Author

Dhwani Mehta

FXStreet

Residing in Mumbai (India), Dhwani is a Senior Analyst and Manager of the Asian session at FXStreet. She has over 10 years of experience in analyzing and covering the global financial markets, with specialization in Forex and commodities markets.

EUR/USD rises to near 1.1650 amid dovish Fed expectations

EUR/USD edges higher after registering gains in the previous six successive sessions, trading around 1.1650 during the Asian hours on Monday. The pair appreciates as the US Dollar struggles amid dovish Federal Reserve expectations. Friday’s slower-than-expected US jobs growth suggests the US central bank could hold interest rates steady later this month.

GBP/USD breaks below 1.3400, challenges the 200-day SMA

GBP/USD remains under heavy fire and retreats for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. Indeed, Cable suffers the strong performance of the Greenback, intensified post-mixed NFP, and trades at shouting distance from its critical 200-day SMA near 1.3380.

Gold hits a fresh record high as rising geopolitical risks boost safe-haven demand

Gold scales higher for the third straight day and climbs to a fresh all-time peak, beyond the $4,550 level, during the Asian session on Monday. Reports that US President Donald Trump is weighing a series of potential military options in Iran following deadly protests in the country fuel the risk of a further escalation of geopolitical tensions amid the protracted Russia-Ukraine war. This, along with rising bets for more rate cuts by the Fed, offsets the recent US Dollar rally and is seen benefiting the safe-haven bullion.

Week ahead: US CPI might challenge the geopolitics-boosted Dollar

Geopolitics may try to steal the limelight from US data. A possible US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs could dictate market movements. Dollar strength might be tested if investors refocus on Fed expectations. A crammed data calendar next week, US CPI comes on Tuesday; Fedspeak to intensify. Euro weakness persists, lingering risk of deterioration in US-EU relations.

The weekender: The market that refused to blink and dispersion is the signal

Last week was supposed to be a week of verdicts. Jobs. Tariffs. Rates. Instead, markets got ambiguity and treated it like oxygen. December payrolls undershot expectations but remained well within the market-perceived bullish-for-equities tolerance. 50,000 jobs added and unemployment down to 4.4% kept the data squarely in the Fed no-action zone.

XRP trades under pressure amid weak retail demand

XRP presses down on the 50-day EMA support as risk-averse sentiment spreads despite a positive start to 2026. XRP faces declining retail demand, as reflected in futures Open Interest, which has fallen to $4.15 billion.