INSTANT VIEW 1-Jump in Czech Oct retail sales beats forecast

    Czech retail sales growth 
quickened to a stronger than expected 8.6 percent year-on-year 
in October, confirming this year's revival in consumer spending 
that analysts say may spark an interest rate hike by early 2007. 
 
KEY POINTS: 
(change in percent)      Oct         Sept        Oct forecast 
RETAIL SALES (y/y)       8.6         4.8 (5.2)      7.0 
 
(Click on [ID:nPRA001086] for full table of October retail 
sales) 
 
- The headline, seasonally-unadjusted figure includes car sales 
and repairs, fuel sales and spending on a variety of consumer 
goods, including foodstuffs. 
- In seasonally unadjusted terms, retail sales net of cars and 
fuel grow 7.9 percent year-on-year, nearly doubling after a 4.1 
percent rise a month earlier. Excluding foodstuffs, spending up 
10.5 percent, showing the biggest gain on record. 
- Foodstuffs sales growth accelerates to 4.3 percent from the 
previous month's 1.5 percent. 
- Seasonally-adjusted sales including the auto segment fall by a 
real 0.1 percent month-on-month in October, but rise 0.7 percent 
excluding the auto segment. 
- In the auto segment, sales up 10.1 percent year-on-year thanks 
to a 11.5 percent rise in cars sales and repairs. Fuel sales up 
7.9 percent. 
 
BACKGROUND: 
- Nov consumer inflation                         [ID:nL08309748] 
- Oct industrial output figures                  [ID:nL12357215] 
- Report on last Czech c.bank rate decision       [ID:nL3091748] 
                                 [ID:nPRA001058] [ID:nPRA001059] 
 
LINKS: 
- For further details on October retail sales and past data, 
Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Czech Statistical 
Bureau's website: 
    http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/kalendar/2004-slu 
 
- For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on        
- Instant Views on other Czech data                 [CZ/INSTANT] 
- Overview of Czech macroeconomic indicators            [CZ/ECI] 
 
- Key data releases in central Europe    [CEE-CONVERGENCE-WATCH] 
- For Czech money markets data click on                 
- Czech money guide                                       
- Czech benchmark state bond prices                    
- Czech forward money market rates                       
 
 ((Writing by Marek Petrus; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters 
Messaging: marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 
477)) 
  Keywords: CZECH RETAIL/  
    

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]