英国5月零售销售额大幅下降 二季度经济或大幅放缓

Core Viewpoint - The significant decline in UK retail sales in May indicates potential economic struggles in the second quarter, reversing the positive trend seen in the first quarter of the year [1] Group 1: Retail Sales Performance - UK retail sales fell sharply in May, marking the first decline of the year, suggesting a halt in the sales surge driven by favorable weather and rising real wages [1] - Food sales plummeted by 5%, while sales in home goods stores decreased by 2.5%, and clothing and footwear sales dropped by 1.8%, reflecting widespread weakness across the retail sector [1] Group 2: Economic Implications - The weakening retail sector is expected to add more challenges to the UK economy, which had previously experienced strong growth in early 2025 [1] - Despite a GDP growth rate of 0.7% in the first quarter, economic contraction was observed in April, with forecasts indicating a significant slowdown in the second quarter [1] Group 3: Market Reactions - Following the unexpected decline in retail sales, the pound's gains narrowed, and traders now anticipate that the Bank of England will implement a cumulative interest rate cut of 48 basis points by the end of the year [1]