UK shoppers pause in April after sales surge
Consumer spending has been a bright spot for the economy amid the Brexit crisis, contrasting with cuts to business investment throughout 2018
London — British shoppers paused in April after three months of strong buying, according to official data that showed continued underlying strength in consumer spending even as the Brexit political crisis unfolded. Monthly retail sales volumes were flat in April , the Office for National Statistics said, stronger than a median forecast for a 0.3% decline in a poll of economists. During the three months to April, sales rose 1.8%, the fastest growth by this measure since August 2018. Consumer spending has been a bright spot for the economy amid the Brexit crisis, contrasting with cuts to business investment throughout 2018 and slower global economic growth. Britain was originally due to leave the EU on March 29 but the deadline has been pushed back to October 31 as Prime Minister Theresa May failed to break an impasse in parliament on the terms of Brexit. May said on Friday she will resign as leader of the ruling Conservative Party on June 7, paving the way for a new prime minister t...
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