The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported retail sales in Switzerland decreased 0.3 percent y-o-y in December of 2018, following a revised 0.6 percent y-o-y decline in the previous month (originally a drop of 0.5 percent y-o-y). Economists had forecast a 0.1 percent advance.

Adjusted for sales days and holidays, the retail sector excluding service stations recorded a stagnation in nominal turnover in December 2018 compared with December 2017 (in real terms -0.2 percent). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered an increase in nominal turnover of 2.7 percent (in real terms +1.4 percent), whereas the non-food sector registered a nominal negative of 2.2 percent (in real terms -1.8 percent).

Excluding service stations, the retail sector showed a seasonally adjusted decline in nominal turnover of 0.6 percent compared with the previous month (in real terms -0.6 percent). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered a nominal minus of 1.4 percent (in real terms -1.2 percent). The non-food sector showed a minus of 0.5 percent (in real terms -0.5 percent).