There were $453.4 billion of retail and food service sales in April (after adjustment for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes), up 1.3 percent from the previous month and 3.0 percent from a year earlier, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Core retail sales – excluding automobiles and parts – increased 0.8 percent after rising 0.4 percent in the previous month. Year-over-year core sales increased 3.0 percent.
Retail trade sales rose 1.4 percent on the month after falling 0.3 percent in March, but rose 2.7 percent from a year ago.
Sales at gasoline stations increased 2.2 percent in April, but were 9.4 percent lower than a year ago. Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 3.2 percent on the month and were 3.1 percent higher than in April 2015.
Read the Census release.
