Sunny weather and the women’s Euro football tournament helped to lift retail sales in July, according to the latest official figures.

Retail sales volumes rose by 0.6% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which was higher than analysts’ forecasts.

The release of the figures had been delayed by two weeks over concerns about the quality of the data.

The ONS has come under fire recently over the reliability of some of its statistics.

While sales volumes in July rose, sales in the three months to July were down 0.6% when compared with the previous three months.

“Supermarkets, sports shops and household goods stores had a strong start to the year, but spending there has fallen since March,” said the ONS’s director general of economic statistics, James Benford.

However, he added this was partially offset by strong sales online and at clothing and footwear stores.

Mr Benford apologised for errors in past data, and said the ONS had “improvement plans” in place.

The ONS had delayed the latest retail sales figures after it discovered a problem with its data, which meant that seasonal adjustments had not been made properly.

The latest release from the ONS revises most of the retail sales data for the past year.

“The new figures published today show a similar overall pattern of three-month on three-month growth, but with less volatile month-on-month changes,” Mr Benford said.

ONS statistics are used in deciding government policy which affects millions, and are used by the Bank of England to make key financial decisions.

The ONS said online retailers and clothing stores saw strong sales growth in July, which retailers put down to new products, the hot weather, and an increase resulting from the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament.

However, Paul Dales from Capital Economics warned that both these factors were boosts that “won’t be repeated”.

Dr Kris Hamer from the British Retail Consortium said July was a “good month for retail sales, as the warm, sunny weather and packed sporting schedule in the first half of the month got people spending”.

“Unfortunately, this level of sales growth makes little dent on the £7bn of new costs that retailers are having to shoulder following last year’s Budget.”

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that cuts tariffs on Japanese car imports from 27.5% to 15%, easing uncertainty for motor industry giants like Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

It formalises an agreement, which was announced in July, to apply a 15% levy to almost all Japanese exports to the US – including vehicles and pharmaceuticals.

Tokyo has also agreed to invest $550bn (£410bn) in US projects, and gradually open its economy to American goods, including cars and rice, the White House said.

The deal came after months of negotiations between the US and Japan in the wake of Trump announcing sweeping tariffs on most countries around the world in April.

“Finally,” Japan’s top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said in Japanese as he reposted a White House announcement about the executive order.

According to the order, the deal will help reduce America’s trade deficit with Japan and provide US businesses “breakthrough openings”.

The White House said Japan has committed to buying $8bn worth of US goods a year – including agricultural products, fertilisers and bioethanol.

It added that Tokyo has also agreed to gradually increase its purchases of US-grown rice by 75% – a concession it had previously resisted to protect its agricultural industry.

Trump hailed the agreement as “massive” when it was announced in July.

“It’s a great deal for everybody. I always say it has to be great for everybody. It’s a great deal,” he said in a news conference.

The Japanese economy is reliant on selling goods abroad, with the US as its biggest export market.

Cars account for around 20% of the country’s total exports.

Trump’s tariffs, which came into effect in August, have sent shockwaves around world as governments and businesses adapt to the changing global market.

Last month, Toyota warned that the impact of US tariffs would cost it around $10bn this year.

Shares in Japanese carmakers and parts suppliers rose on Friday in Tokyo after the executive order was signed.

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 10:42 IST

Income tax practitioners advise taxpayers to file now without any delay, and warns against last-minute ITR filings as portal slowdowns are common in the final hours of filing.

ITR Deadline 2025.

The clock is ticking for lakhs of taxpayers who are yet to file their income tax returns for Assessment Year 2025-26. The government had extended the original July 31 deadline for non-audit cases to September 15, 2025, but with just days left and no word on another extension, individuals should not bank on last-minute relief.

So, who exactly has to meet this September 15 deadline?

Salaried and Non-Audit Category Taxpayers

The extended deadline is meant for taxpayers who do not require a tax audit. This includes:

• Salaried individuals whose annual income exceeds the basic exemption limit — Rs 2.5 lakh for those below 60, Rs 3 lakh for senior citizens, and Rs 5 lakh for those above 80 under the old tax regime. However, in the new tax regime, the limit is Rs 3 lakh for all categories for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26).
• Freelancers and professionals with income below the audit threshold.
• Small traders and businesses that are not covered under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act.
• Investors who earned capital gains from equities, mutual funds, property, or gold, but are not subject to audit.
• Resident taxpayers with foreign income or assets, who are required to file returns irrespective of income level.

ITR Filing 2025: Who Gets More Time?

Taxpayers whose books need to be audited — businesses with turnover above specified limits or professionals above the prescribed receipts — have until October 31, 2025.

ITR Filing 2025: What If You Miss The September 15 Deadline?

As the last date to file non-audit ITRs is September 15, a late fee will be charged after this deadline. A late filing fee of Rs 1,000 (on income up to Rs 5 lakh) or Rs 5,000 (income above Rs 5 lakh) applies under Section 234F. Delayed filing also attracts interest on tax due and denies taxpayers the option to carry forward certain losses, such as from capital markets or business.

ITR Filing 2025: Key Checks Before You Hit Submit Filing

Tax experts advise taxpayers to run through a quick checklist before hitting submit:

• Reconcile salary, interest and other income with the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS.
• Ensure capital gains are correctly reported.
• Disclose foreign assets and bank accounts, if any.
• Verify bank account details for refunds.
• Double-check deductions claimed under various sections.

Don’t Wait for the Last Day

Income tax practitioners also said that with portal slowdowns common in the final hours of filing, taxpayers should avoid last-minute filings and do it now. Early filing not only avoids late fees but also ensures faster processing of refunds, crucial for salaried individuals and small taxpayers relying on the money.

Mohammad Haris

Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More

Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More

Read More