Further evidence of a pick-up in activity on the UK's high streets emerged this morning with the news that retail sales during November increased at their highest monthly rate since June. The office for National Statistics revealed that retail sales, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, during November increased by 0.7 pct from the previous month. That was the fourth consecutive monthly increase and up on October's upwardly revised 0.4 pct increase. It was also higher than analysts' expectations of a 0.2 pct rise. On a year-on-year basis, the statistics office said retail sales were 2.1 pct higher -- above expectations of a modest 1.2 pct increase. That was the highest annual rate since February and up on October's 1.5 pct increase. "Retail sales figures for November indicate a continuation of the pick-up seen over recent months," a spokesman for the statistics office.