Retail Sales Up 2.7%; Ex-Autos Climb 1.1%

August retail sales posted a 2.7% increase to $351.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis, while excluding automobiles, retail sales rose 1.1% to $287.2 billion, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

In July, retail sales slid a revised 0.2% to $342.3 billion; ex-autos, they fell a revised 0.5% to $284.2 billion.

July retail sales figures were originally reported down 0.1%, while excluding automobile sales they were reported down 0.6%.

Thomson Reuters had predicted retail sales would advance 2.0% and post a 0.4% gain excluding autos.

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