Sales at eurozone retailers increased for the sixth successive month in September. Growth was driven by further solid expansions in France and Germany. The rate of expansion in Italy was far less marked, but in positive territory for the first time in 21 months.

The headline IHS Markit Eurozone Retail PMI - which tracks the month-on-month changes in retail sales in the bloc‟s biggest three economies combined - rose to 52.3 in September, from 50.8 in August. The latest reading highlighted the thirdstrongest rate of growth in the current six-month period of expansion.

Sales were also up on an annual basis, thereby reversing the downturn that had been observed in each of the previous two months