NZ 1Q quarterly retail sales up 0.1% as weaker fuel and vehicle sales weigh

NZ 1Q quarterly retail sales up 0.1% as weaker fuel and vehicle sales weigh
Rebecca Howard
By Rebecca Howard May 21 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand retail sales rose in the March quarter but were lower than expected on weaker fuel and motor vehicle and parts retailing after a biosecurity threat crimped car imports.  Retail sales volumes rose 0.1 percent in the March quarter on an adjusted basis for seasonal and price effects, from a revised 1.4 percent gain in the fourth quarter, Statistics New Zealand said. Economists had expected retail sales volumes to lift 1 percent.  "Overall, retail spending in the first three months of t...