The pound climbed 0.3% against the euro to €1.0991 as figures showed retail sales excluding fuel had risen 1.5 per cent in the year to July, compared with expectations of 1.3%. Despite this, retail sales including fuel fell to 1.3%, missing analysts’ expectations of as falling oil prices continue to have a negative impact on inflation. Senior statistician at the Office for National Statistics, Ole Black, “While the overall growth is the same as in June, trends in growth in different sectors are proving quite volatile."