英国4月零售销售超预期增长 英镑延续涨势

Core Insights - UK retail sales surged in April, continuing a strong trend from earlier in the year, indicating consumer resilience amid rising bills and global trade tensions [1] - Retail sales increased by 1.2% month-on-month in April, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth, surpassing economists' expectations of 0.3% [1] - The warm and sunny weather in April contributed to the retail sales growth, with strong performance across most sectors [1] Retail Performance - Categories such as food and alcohol saw sales growth, reflecting consumer spending despite economic challenges [1] - The report coincided with the period following the announcement of tariffs by Trump, during which UK households faced significant increases in utility bills, train fares, and local government taxes [1] Consumer Confidence - A separate report indicated a slight rebound in UK consumer confidence in May after being impacted by Trump's tariffs in April, with consumers feeling more optimistic about their financial and economic situations [1] - Consumers expressed a greater willingness to purchase big-ticket items such as cars and furniture [1] Economic Outlook - According to Alex Kerr from Capital Economics, this marks the first time since 2015 (excluding the pandemic period) that retail sales have increased for four consecutive months, although he cautioned that this growth may not be sustainable [2] - Following the release of stronger-than-expected data, the British pound maintained its upward trend against the US dollar, rising by 0.3% to 1.3461, nearing its highest level since 2022 [2]