U.K. retail sales rose more than economists forecast in February in a rebound from a drop the previous month when heavy snowfall held back consumer activity. Sales including fuel surged 2.1 percent from January, when they dropped a revised 0.7 percent, the Office for National Statistics said today in London. That was the biggest increase in almost a year and exceeded the 0.4 percent median forecast of 20 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. From a year earlier, sales increased 2.6 percent. The rebound may mask continued weakness in consumer spending as higher energy bills and accelerating inflation squeeze ... (full story)