German HDE retail body sees record 2016 Christmas sales

Germany's HDE retail association expects sales over the crucial Christmas period to rise 3.9 percent this year to reach more than 90 billion euros ($99.6 billion) for the first time, the group said on Tuesday.

HDE also confirmed its already raised forecast for the whole of 2016 which sees sales up 2.5 percent to 485.7 billion euros. It said booming online sales were driving growth in the sector.

"The starting position for Christmas sales was hardly any better than this year," HDE President Josef Sanktjohanser said, adding that retailers were benefitting from the good mood among shoppers and the overall solid labour market. ($1 = 0.9038 euros)