Kingfisher's sales increased significantly in Q1, boosted by warm weather and strong demand for seasonal products and online sales, although caution remains for the future.
Retail sales experienced a slower decline in April, yet firms anticipate stronger contractions ahead amid ongoing economic uncertainty and weak consumer sentiment.
"The 0.1% GDP crawl and the savings spike point to a battening down of the hatches. This figure shows the economy's treading water rather than charging ahead."
The figures from the latest US retail sales report were mixed, showing a weak overall growth of 0.2% MoM against contrasting data that suggests consumer resilience.