German retail sales edge past forecasts in March

Retail sales in the euro area's largest economy registered a slight increase last month, led by turnover in the home furnishings, household appliances and builders' ware categories.

Growth in total retail sales accelerated from a 2.2% pace in February to 2.3% in March, according to the Federal Office of Statistics.

Also versus a year-ago, food sales were higher by 0.6%, alongside a 3.8% jump in non-food sales.

Sales of home furnishings, household appliances and builders' ware rocketed 10.0% in value terms.

On the month, seasonally and calendar-adjusted German retail sales were 0.1% ahead of February's level.

Economists had penciled in an unchanged reading month-on-month and a 2.2% rise on the year.

To take note of, there were two more working days in March of this year versus 2016, although this time around Easter fell in April, not March.