The Commerce
Department announced on Wednesday that sales at U.S. retailers were unchanged m-o-m in April, following a downwardly revised 0.6 per cent m-o-m climb (from +0.7
per cent m-o-m) in March.
Economists had predicted
total sales would rise 0.4 per cent m-o-m in April.
According to
the report, the total retail sales’ flat performance reflected
decreases in 7 retail categories that were offset by gains in 6 remaining other
categories. Nonstore retailers (-1.2 per cent m-o-m), sporting goods, hobby,
musical instrument, and book stores (-0.9 per cent m-o-m) and motor vehicle and
parts dealers (-0.8 per cent m-o-m) demonstrated the largest declines in retail
sales in April, while gasoline stations (+3.1 per cent m-o-m), clothing and
clothing accessories stores (+1.6 per cent m-o-m) and electronics and appliance
stores (+1.5 per cent m-o-m) showed the biggest advances.
Excluding auto,
retail sales rose 0.2 per cent m-o-m in April after a downwardly revised 0.9
per cent surge m-o-m (from +1.1 per cent m-o-m) in the previous month, matching economists’ forecast.
In y-o-y terms, U.S. retail sales soared 3.0 per
cent in April after a downwardly revised 3.8 per cent advance (from +4.0 per cent) in the previous
month.