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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Joanna Partridge

Dash for gold helps drive retail sales in Great Britain to three-year high

Gold Office for National Statistics
Gold bracelets.
Gold bracelets. Online jewellers reported strong demand for gold in September. Photograph: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters

Sales at UK retailers rose unexpectedly last month to their highest level since July 2022, according to official figures, boosted by tech purchases amid the release of the new iPhone 17 as well as strong online demand for gold.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that retail sales volumes rose by 0.5% in September, the fourth consecutive monthly increase, confounding economists’ forecasts of a 0.2% monthly drop.

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