Euro zone retail sales unexpectedly fell in September, challenging expectations for a consumption-led recovery and offsetting other mildly positive news from the 20-nation currency bloc, data from Eurostat showed on Thursday.

Retail trade fell by 0.1% on the month in September, coming short of expectations for a 0.2% rise, while sales were up 1.0% compared to a year earlier, in line with expectations.

Euro zone households are sitting on ample savings and the European Central Bank has long expected them to start running these down in a boost to growth, but uncertainty keeps consumers cautious and actual figures continue to be disappointing.

Retail sales expanded by 0.2% on the month in Germany, the bloc's biggest economy and 0.4% in Spain, but there were falls in Italy, France and the

See Full Page