Europe's top retailers expect tough year

Tentative recovery yet to boost spending in some countries

LONDON: Europe's biggest retailers will publish Christmas sales figures next week amid signs that a tentative economic recovery has yet to boost spending in some countries and consumers everywhere will remain under pressure in 2010.

France's Carrefour, the world's second-largest retailer behind US group Wal-Mart, will post fourth-quarter sales after the market close on Thursday, while Britain's Tesco, the world's number three, and Germany's Metro, number four, will report on Tuesday.