Gasoline, Food Drive US Retail Sales Higher in October

Source: US Census Bureau

The United States reported a slight increase in sales for retail and food services in October, led mainly by gasoline, food services, and drinking places.

• Advance monthly sales in October stood at $638.2 billion, up 1.7% from September’s $627.5 billion and up 16.3% from the previous year.
• Total sales for the three months to October posted a 15.4% increase from the comparative period last year.
• The percent change from August to September was revised to up 0.8% from 0.7%.
• Retail sales for the period were up 1.9% from the previous month and up 14.8% above the previous year.
• Gasoline stations reported a 46.8% increase from the previous year, while food services and drinking places jumped by 29.3%.