FORECASTS of a damaging slide in shop sales over Christmas were blown apart by figures showing the high street enjoyed its strongest growth for eight months in December.
The Office for National Statistics said total retail sales volumes were up by a staggering 1.1 per cent on November - far above even the most optimistic expectations in the City.
But doubts about the outlook for consumer spending were raised by analysts speculating that the growth had been driven by price cuts and the success of the New Year sales.
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