Retail sales fell 0.3 percent in September, the Commerce Department said yesterday. That ended a streak of six straight strong monthly gains that helped to fuel economic growth in the middle of the year.
Sales receipts fell almost 1 percent at auto dealers even though they reported a strong increase in the number of new vehicles sold. That means the dropoff likely reflects end-of-summer discounting and more corporate-fleet sales. Sales also declined 0.7 percent at gas stations, reflecting lower prices at the pump.
Retail sales were flat if gasoline and auto dealer receipts are excluded, but households also slashed spending on building materials and online purchases. Meanwhile, receipts at clothing stores rose by 1.3 percent, while furniture sales climbed by 0.6 percent.
No comments:
Post a Comment