U.K. retail sales fell in August as the Olympics distracted shoppers and internet shopping plunged the most in almost five years. Sales including auto fuel declined 0.2 percent from July, the Office for National Statistics said today in London. The median forecast of 22 economists in a Bloomberg News survey was for a 0.3 percent decline. Non-store retailing, predominantly online shopping, dropped 6.7 percent. The decline was offset by a surge in sales of sporting goods and items such as bicycles. The London Olympic Games began on July 27 and ran until Aug. 12, adding to volatility in the consumer data. Household ... (full story)