Retail sales rise 1.3 pct in April

Greek retail sales by volume rose 1.3 percent in April compared to the same month last year after a 1.5 percent increase in March, statistics service ELSTAT said on Friday.

Retail sales were led higher by supermarkets and pharmaceuticals, the data showed.

Greece’s economy grew for a fifth straight quarter in January-to-March, helped by stronger exports.

Gross domestic product expanded 0.8 percent in the first quarter, accelerating from an upwardly revised 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The European Commission sees the economy growing by 1.9 percent this year, while the International Monetary Fund projects growth of 2.0 percent.

[Reuters]