Nov. 15 (UPI) — U.S. retail sales rebounded in October as purchases of motor vehicles and building materials increased, the U.S. Census Bureau announced Thursday.
Retail sales improved to $511.5 billion, up 0.8 percent in October from the previous month and 4.6 percent from the same time last year, according to advance estimates adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not price changes.
Auto sales increased 1.1 percent, while sales of building material climbed 1 percent from September.
Meanwhile retail trade sales for October increased 0.9 percent from the previous month, as sales at gasoline stations soared 3.5 percent.
Sales at clothing and accessory stores as well as sporting goods hobby, musical instrument and book stores were each up 0.5 percent just before the holiday shopping season.
Thursday’s reported increase follows consecutive decreases in August and September.
The change in percentage from August 2018 to September 2018 was revised from up 0.1 percent to down 0.1 percent.
