More retailers have seen sales fall in the first two weeks of this month than saw them rise, in a sign of continued weakness on the high street, the CBI reported on Tuesday.

Sales volumes rose at 31 per cent of retailers in June, compared with a year earlier, while 48 per cent said sales were down, giving an overall balance of 17 per cent reporting falling sales. That is the same as in May but worse than in April, when overall sales were slightly up.