There were $705.0 billion in retail and food service sales in October, down 0.1% from the previous month and up 2.5% from the prior year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Core retail sales—excluding automobiles and gasoline—increased 0.1% over the month and 3.5% for the year.
Retail trade sales were down 0.2% from September, and up 1.6% year-over-year. Sales at health & personal care stores were up 9.6% from October 2022, while sales at food services & drinking places increased 8.6%. Sales at furniture & home furnishing stores and building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers were down 11.8% and 5.6% year-over-year, respectively.
Sales at gasoline stations decreased 0.3% in October, following a 1.0% increase in August. Gasoline station sales remain 7.5% below year-ago levels.
Read the Census release.
