Retail sales rose 6.6%, year-on-year, in November 2001. The figure is close to our forecast (7.0%) and the market consensus (6.3%). In October, retail sales grew by 7.2%. Taking into account announcements of some retail chains, we can expect consumers' demand to keep the growing trend also in December. Sales in transport fell by 1.4%, but sales of hotels and restaurants increased by 0.5% and sales in telecommunications rocketed by 16.3%.
David Marek