Retailers in the U.K. reported a brighter start to the new year, with sales rising after four straight months of falls, largely from a recovery in the food segment.

Consumers sharply curtailed their spending in January, indicating a potential weakening in economic growth ahead, according to a Commerce Department report released on Friday.

South African retail sales rose 3.1% year on year in December after rising by a revised 7.6% in November, Statistics South Africa figures showed on Wednesday.

U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in January, dropping a seasonally adjusted 0.9% from December to $723.9 billion, the Commerce Department said. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a drop of 0.

According to a Friday U.S. Census Bureau report, retail sales for January were down 0.9% from the December. But total sales for November 2024 - January 2025 were up 4.2%.

Britain's benchmark index edged up on Friday supported by consumer stocks as investors parsed economic data, while Standard Chartered was at a decade-high after reporting a jump in annual profit. The blue-chip FTSE 100 was up 0.