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Retail sales unexpectedly fell by 1% last month over the vital Christmas period, official figures show.
Economists had forecast a 0.5% rise in December.
It follows a drop of 04% in November.
The latest data comes as consumer confidence dipped again to a near-historic low in the face of inflation woes and growing concern about another hike in energy bills.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index fell three points in January to minus 45 after a short-lived and weak rally in the last quarter.
While the rate of inflation dipped for the second month in a row in December, to 10.5%, offering more evidence the peak of the cost-of-living crisis has passed, this offered little relief for households and businesses still wrestling with high prices.
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