Retail sales in Great Britain rise unexpectedly in August, ONS says

Retail sales across Great Britain rose unexpectedly last month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), offering what the Guardian described as the latest economic indicator to defy gloomy forecasts.

The ONS said the volume of goods sold increased by 0.5% month on month in August, confounding analyst expectations of a 0.2% fall.

According to the report, the rise was boosted in part by purchases of sports items as well as air-conditioning units and fans, as consumers responded to heatwave conditions during the month.

The data comes as the chancellor, John Healey, prepares to present next month's budget, the report said.

The Guardian's report did not provide further breakdowns of the sales figures by sector beyond the categories cited, nor additional commentary from officials or analysts at the time of publication.