German April retail sales fall less than expected

(Sharecast News) - German retail sales fell less than expected in April even after a sharp decline at petrol stations as the Iran war caused a spike in fuel prices.

Retail sales in Europe's biggest economy were down 0.3% month on month, official data showed on Monday. Analysts had forecast a 0.5% decrease.

"The development of sales at gas stations in April 2026 was particularly noticeable as a result of the war in the Middle East: After calendar and seasonal adjustment, sales fell by 4.0% in real terms and 1.0% in nominal terms compared to the previous month," said the country's statistics office Destatis.

"Compared to April 2025, real sales declined by 10.4%, while nominal sales increased by 7.6%. It should be noted that sales at gas stations also include sales in on-site shops."

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com