LONDON: British retail sales slid 1.5 percent in December from the previous month after consumers had brought forward their Christmas shopping, official data showed Friday.
Retail sales had jumped by 1.0 percent in November, boosted by Black Friday price reductions, the Office for National Statistics said.
Sales though climbed 1.4 percent in December compared with one year earlier, the ONS added.
“Retail sales continued to grow in the last three months of the year partly due to Black Friday deals boosting spending,” said ONS Senior Statistician Rhian Murphy.
“Consumers continue to move Christmas purchases earlier, with higher spending in November and lower spending in December than seen in previous years.”
Murphy added that “the longer-term picture is one of slowing growth, with increased prices squeezing people’s spending.”
Britons’ wages are being eroded by Brexit-fueled inflation, according to recent official data.
Since Britain voted to leave the EU in June 2016, a drop in sterling — making imported goods more expensive — has pushed inflation upwards.
“The latest retail sales data has shown a larger-than-expected drop in month-on-month terms with a decline of 1.5 percent,” said David Cheetham, chief market analyst at XTB trading group, adding that the pound dropped in response.
UK retail sales slide in December after Black Friday boost
UK retail sales slide in December after Black Friday boost
Egypt’s Suez Canal, Namibian Ports Authority sign MoU to propel port development, training
RIYADH: Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority and the Namibian Ports Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding amid efforts to propel cooperation in development and training.
The agreement aims to exchange expertise and enhance bilateral cooperation in several areas, most notably marine construction, the sale and leasing of marine units, and advanced training through the Suez Canal Authority’s academies, according to a statement.
This is supported by figures from the Suez Canal Authority, which reported revenues of $1.97 billion from 5,874 ship transits since early July, representing a 17.5 percent year-on-year increase, chairman Osama Rabie said during a recent meeting with an International Monetary Fund delegation.
It also aligns well with Rabie’s further forecast that the canal’s revenues would improve during the 2026/2027 fiscal year to around $8 billion, rising to approximately $10 billion the following year, according to a statement issued by the authority.
The newly released statement said: “Rabie affirmed the authority’s readiness for fruitful and constructive cooperation with the Namibian Ports Authority, given the expansion of the entity’s international projects and its efforts to open new markets and engage with the African continent.”
“The chairman explained that the Suez Canal Authority’s efforts succeeded in developing and reopening the Libyan port of Sirte after 14 years of closure, marking a successful start to international projects with friendly and sister nations,” it added.
The chairman instructed that all necessary support and procedures be put in place to initiate practical cooperation on multiple projects, highlighting that the authority offers a comprehensive system for maritime and logistics services through its shipyards and subsidiaries.
For her part, Nangula Hamunyela, chairperson of the Namibian Ports Authority, voiced her enthusiasm for collaborating with the Suez Canal Authority on advancing Namibia’s ambitious port development plan, home to the largest ports in West Africa.
She stressed that this partnership highlights the strong relationship between Egypt and Namibia and will help further deepen bilateral ties.
Hamunyela further highlighted that the Suez Canal Authority’s advanced technology and vast expertise across multiple sectors will play a key role in supporting and speeding up development efforts in Namibian ports, reducing dependence on foreign expertise and technology from outside the region.
Egypt’s Suez Canal generated a total of $40 billion between 2019 and 2024 and remains the country’s most important source of foreign currency.
