Economic performance in Q1 2013 saw a marginal improvement on the previous quarter, with GDP expanding by 0.2% compared with the previous three months, but rising by 0.6% year-on-year. Improved foreign demand offset a marked fall in domestic demand, which saw all of its components record declines on an annual basis. Nevertheless, the second quarter saw uplift for the retail sectors. Indeed, retail sales turned positive for the first time this year in April (1.1%) and grew again in May (1.8%). The latest figures were largely driven by strong fuel sales growth in specialized stores and moderate trade growth in non-specialized
Source : Cushman & Wakefield