3/13/2014 10:19 AM ET

Brazil’s retail sales unexpectedly rose in January, following a decline in the previous month, figures from the statistical office IBGE showed Thursday.

Retail sales rose 6.2 percent 0.4 percent from December, when they fell 0.2 percent. Economists had forecast a 0.3 percent decline.

Year-on-year, retail sales grew 6.2 percent annually, following a 3.9 percent fall in December. Economists had predicted 4.8 percent sales growth.