British retail sales volumes fell 0.4% in September, more than the 0.1% decline economists had forecast, according to the Office for National Statistics. Fuel volumes rose 2.2% from August despite higher prices, while clothing and food sales weakened, with retailers blaming warm weather for poor autumn and winter clothing sales. Online sales values fell 0.4% in September but were up 6.8% year on year. The GfK Consumer Confidence Index dropped 11 points to -24 in October, its sharpest monthly fall since April 2020, with expectations for the economy and major purchases also falling; GfK cited inflation, the Middle East conflict and household budget pressures. Major chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Greggs and Kingfisher have nonetheless raised profit forecasts this year, though they warned of tough trading ahead of Chancellor John Healey’s budget on 28 October.
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Related tickers and likely impact
GBP/USD
▼ Likely negativeRelevance: medium
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/23/2026 | 1.33804 |
| Change that session | -0.15% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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