Fuel-price jump, car sales lift Japan retail spending
Monday, April 28th, 2008 Retail sales climbed 1.1% in March from a year earlier, after gaining 3.2% in February and 1.3% in January, according to data released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Monday. The March figures are the eighth-straight month of gains in retail sales, the longest streak of gains since an eight-month expansion through December 1994.
The gains were inline with consensus expectation for a 1% rise.