Retail sales in Germany fell sharply in March after increasing in the previous month. According to figures from the German Federal Statistical Office, retail sales fell by 5.6 percent on a monthly basis. In February there was still an increase of 0.8 percent. Economists generally expected an 8 percent drop in sales on a monthly basis. On an annual basis, store sales in the largest economy in Europe fell by 2.8 percent in March, following an increase of 6.5 percent a month earlier.
