News

Retail sales rosy in May

June 18, 2019

The American consumer is busy shopping, shopping and shopping and the result is healthy May sales data after a sluggish April.

In May, U.S. retail sales increased 0.5%, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data. In April there was a 0.3% increase, according to a MarketWatch report. Big gains were across most categories (electronics, personal and health care retailers), though food and beverage retailers and department stores did not enjoy as great a level of robust sales.

The figure does not include auto sales which saw an even bigger spike, of 0.7%.

"The consumer is firmly back on track: The first quarter's softness was misleading," said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, according to MarketWatch.