–Sales Excluding Motor Vehicles And Gas Also Up 0.3%
By Kevin Kastner
WASHINGTON (MNI) – Retail sales at U.S. stores fell 0.2% in May on
a sharp decline in motor vehicle sales, while sales excluding motor
vehicles posted a 0.3% rise in the month, data released Tuesday morning
by the U.S. Commerce Department showed.
Motor vehicle sales fell 2.9% in May after a 0.7% decline in April,
while gasoline station sales were up 0.3% in May after the 1.4% April
gains. Excluding those two key factors, retail sales would have been up
0.3%, the same as in April.
Sales gains were mixed across the remaining categories, with gains
in sales for building materials, health care stores, clothing stores,
and food services places. These were offset by declines at food stores,
for furniture, electronics, sporting goods, and at department stores.
Retail sales were up 7.8% from a year ago, before seasonal
adjustment, as slightly faster pace than the 7.5% year/year rise for
total sales in April. Sales excluding motor vehicles rose 8.3% year/year
in May, a much faster pace than the 7.3% rise in April.
** Market News International Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **
[TOPICS: MAUDS$,MT$$$$,M$U$$$,MAUDR$]
