91.  Dealers said while positive December retail sales data were a hopeful sign of economic stabilization, investors remained uncertain about the strength and timing of the US recovery.

92.  Dealers were expected to pay close attention to US inflation and retail sales data which is due to be published on Tuesday.

93.  Despite strong new homes sales data, the euro pushed higher as signs of weakness in US consumer demand emerged, said Kamal Sharma, currency analyst at Commerzbank.

94.  Dealers in London said that unexpectedly weak British retail sales data for March published Thursday had revived hopes that British interest rates might be cut further.

95.  The prospect of a pre-election consumer boom loomed large on Wednesday with the publication of British retail sales data which soared to a seven-year high in August.

96.  The record existing home sales data followed the release Friday of figures pointing to an economic recovery ahead.

97.  The view was supported by lower-than-expected retail sales data that was released earlier in the week.

98.  The weak market was also against a backdrop of retail sales data over the crucial Christmas period which surprised on the upside.

99.  US markets eked out modest gains on Tuesday before the Intel results were published, boosted by positive US retail sales data.

100.  It did not respond to weaker-than-expected retail sales data for March.