South Africa Retail Sales Rise 0.6%

(RTTNews) - South Africa's retail sales increased for the second straight month in April, data from Statistics South Africa showed on Wednesday.

On an unadjusted basis, retail sales rose 0.6 percent year-on-year in April, though slower than the 2.3 percent increase in the prior month.

Sales of household furniture, appliances, and equipment grew the most by 5.6 percent annually in April, followed by pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics, and toiletries with a 4.1 percent rise. Meanwhile, sales of hardware, paint, and glass were 1.7 percent lower.

On a monthly basis, retail sales climbed 0.5 percent in April versus a 1.3 percent increase in the prior month.