Italian retail sales (seasonally adjusted) have came in flat month on month, and -1.9% year on year, compared to median market forecasts of flat and -1.7% respectively. Novembers’ fall of -0.2% was revised downwardly to -0.4%. Meanwhile in forex trade EUR/USD is doing little, presently at 1.2850. The pairing is marginally firmer on the day, supported by slightly improved risk sentiment and ongoing buying interest in the EUR/JPY cross. Meanwhile European stocks doing ok, FTSE 100 up around 1%, DAX 30 up around 1 1/4%.