I walk into a BMW and Audi dealership ready to buy a car in cash. I say I want a big discount. They say, they will give me £2K off a £30K car and cannot go any lower as the manufacturers wont let them. No wonder nothing is selling. Price products correctly. Reduce prices significantly.

Bob, London,

As the majority of spending is on goods imported from China, falls in retail sales help to redress the balance of payments deficit, wihch in the long run is *good* news for the USA.

Paul, Coventry,

Oil price today at 36 dollars.When are the Utility Companies going to be ordered to lower their prices.Its a RIP OFF and the privatisation promise by Thatcher that it would bring lower prices due to competion was a con.Lower prices would give the public more money to spend helping the economy.

Bill Rees, Falmouth, Uk

Unfortunately Q1 can be as bad and part of a more substantial trend, too much of GDP in the US and UK is centered on retail sales. Retail sales which are retrenching as people begin to conserve cash and think about what they actually spend money on.

M Blackwell, London,

It really is so simple, why can people not see the reason? Our society has increasingly become dependent on debt, to the extent that our nation is bankrupt and our currency will soon be worthless - encouraged by politicians. 1929 seen the Dow collapse to 1/10 of its value over a period of 3 years.

R McAuley, Antrim, United Kingdom

Spending in the UK being governed by taxation, high domestic fuel bills and the high cost of food. As examples - the government introduces new, high car-tax, keeps perol tax high, high council tax, we - the public ajust how we spend - less, because, tax we cannot escape. The golen goose is dying

A. Anderson, Liverpool, England

How can fuel price falls be touted as reason for the declining sales figures. surely it is soaring fuel prices that would be the killer to sales figures

rich, denia,

Doesn't the UK short selling embargo get lifted this week?
Has there been a lot of shorting ahead of the relaxation?
What does the FSA have to say, if anything, on this dramatic change of sentiment?

A.Williams, Cradley Heath,