Here’s a breakdown of the key information from the provided text regarding the rise in retail sales:
* Overall Increase: Retail sales saw an unexpected increase in December.
* gold & Silver Demand: A meaningful part of this rise was due to increased purchases of gold and silver, particularly through online jewellers. The prices of these metals hit record highs in december.
* Safe-Haven Investment: This trend mirrors a similar surge in gold buying in September, likely driven by investors seeking “safe-haven” investments (like gold) during times of political and international uncertainty. They move money out of stocks and into gold.
* drop in Household Goods: While overall sales where up, there was a noticeable decrease in purchases of household goods.
* Rise of “Non-Store” Retailers: Online shops, street stalls, and markets (“non-store retailers”) experienced a 4.2% increase in sales.
