TABLE-Czech retail sales rise 4.4 pct y/y in Dec

    The Czech Statistical Bureau (CSU) 
released on Thursday the following retail sales data for 
December: 
 
                            DEC 06  NOV 06    DEC 05  JAN-DEC 06 
RETAIL SALES (pct chg y/y)   4.4   6.5 (6.4)   2.1      6.4 
 Retail trade; repair of 
  personal and household 
  goods                      4.7   5.9 (5.7)   3.9      6.5 
 Automotive segment          3.6   7.9 (7.8)  -2.1      6.3 
  Sale & repair of 
   motor vehicles            3.6   7.4 (7.0)  -0.4      7.1 
  Retail sales of 
   automotive fuel           3.8   8.8 (9.3)  -5.3      4.8 
    NOTE. All data are subject to further revision and are 
seasonally unadjusted. Brackets denote previously reported data. 
    Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a 5.0 percent 
increase in overall retail sales  .  
    Data for overall sales in the service sector are issued 
quarterly. Retail sales data are released monthly. 
 
 (Reporting by Mirka Krufova in Prague) 
 ((For past economic data and analysts' forecasts, double click 
on )) 
 ((Editing by Alan Crosby; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters 
Messaging: mirka.krufova.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 
477)) 
  Keywords: CZECH ECONOMY/RETAIL  
    

[Reuters/Finance.cz]