There has been a big rise in the volume of retail sales, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Figures for November show the amount of sales is 9.3% higher than in the same month a year earlier, and up 2.2% in just one month.

The value of goods sold in November was 5.6% higher than a year earlier.

If motor trades are excluded, there was an increase of 8.9% in the annual figure.

The sectors with the largest month-on-month volume increases were electrical goods, department stores and other retail sales.

While sectors with the largest decreases were motor trades, clothing, footwear & textiles and bars.

There was an increase of 5.6% in the value of retail sales in November compared with a year ago.

But again if motor trades are excluded, that increase falls back 4.9%.