Euro Sales Slipped in February

Retail sales fell in February in the 17 countries that the euro is used. Eurostat, the European Union’s official statistics agency reports that retail sales in February fell 0.3 percent on the month and by 1.4 percent on the year. However, German manufacturers reported an increase in orders from overseas. The stats highlight Europe’s weakening demand for products and consumers’ increasing thriftiness as unemployment rates ruse and wage growth slows.