WASHINGTON — U.S. September retail sales posted a better-than-expected 1.5% decrease to $344.7 billion, on a seasonally adjusted basis, while excluding automobiles, retail sales rose 0.5% to $288.5 billion, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.
The results followed downwardly revised headline figures from August, when overall retail sales increased a revised 2.2% to $349.9 billion and sales excluding autos rose a revised 1.0% to $287.1 billion.
August retail sales were originally reported up 2.7%, and ex-auto sales were originally reported as a 1.1% increase.
IFR Markets had predicted September retail sales would decline 2.1% but post a 0.2% gain excluding autos.
