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Thu 04 Apr 2007Weak car sales hit February retail figuresSales on the high street dipped in February due to weak car sales, the latest retail sales figures have revealed. However, a leading analyst described the development as temporary and has predicted strong retail sales growth for the full year.The latest retail sales index from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) suggests that total sales volumes grew by 6.8 per cent in annual terms and by 6.9 per cent when sales of cars are excluded. But, compared to January, motor sales were sharply lower in February, down 3.8 per cent. Sales of other big-ticket items also fell, with electrical goods down 1.6 per cent on the month, furniture and lighting products down by 2.8 per cent and hardware product sales falling by 5.5 per cent. As a result, total sales volume fell by 2.2 per cent in February, compared to January's levels, when adjustment is made for seasonal factors.