–Sales Excluding Motor Vehicles Up 0.6%; Ex-Gas And Autos Up 0.2%
By Kevin Kastner
WASHINGTON (MNI) – Retail sales at U.S. stores rose 0.5% in April
on a surge in gasoline station sales and a modest gain in motor vehicle
sales, while sales excluding motor vehicles posted a 0.6% rise in the
month, data released Thursday morning by the U.S. Commerce Department
showed.
Motor vehicle sales rose 0.2% in April after a 0.7% decline in
March, while gasoline station sales were up 2.7%% in April after the
4.1% March surge. Excluding those two key factors, retail sales would
have been up only 0.2%, compared with the 0.7% rise in that measure in
March.
Sales gains were mixed across the remaining categories, with gains
in sales at food stores and for building materials offset by declines
for furniture, electronics, and at restaurants and bars.
Retail sales were up 7.8% from a year ago, before seasonal
adjustment, as slightly slower pace than the 8.0% year/year rise for
total sales in March. Sales excluding motor vehicles rose 7.3% year/year
in April, a faster pace than the 7.0% rise in March.
** Market News International Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **
[TOPICS: MAUDS$,MT$$$$,M$U$$$,MAUDR$]
