Germany’s retail sales rose 1.2% month-on-month in August 2026, reversing a 3.4% decline in the previous month and marking the fastest growth since June 2025, although the increase fell short of market estimates for a 1.5% gain. The rebound partly reflected a recovery from July’s sharp pullback, which was weighed by higher consumer and energy prices and the start of summer holidays. On an annual basis, retail sales declined 0.4%, narrowing from a 2.5% drop in July but missing forecasts for a 0.1% increase.