U.S. Retail Sales Rise 0.8% in September, Beating Forecasts

U.S. retail sales rose 0.8% in September, beating economists’ forecast of 0.3%, as higher gasoline receipts helped lift the monthly total. The Census Bureau’s report, released October 15, showed sales following a revised 1.3% increase in August. The headline figure was stronger than expected, but spending gains were less pronounced across measures that exclude major categories. The Census Bureau’s control group, which excludes autos, gasoline, building materials and food services, increased 0.1%, below the 0.3% forecast. The measure is used to help estimate goods consumption in gross domestic product. Gasoline-station sales climbed 6.4% in September, according to the Census report. The overall retail figures measure dollars spent and are not adjusted for inflation, so the increase does not establish whether consumers bought more goods or paid higher prices. Gasoline prices and other costs rose during the month. Sales excluding autos and gasoline rose 0.2%, according to the report. Among other categories, sales at furniture stores increased 1.3%, while food services and drinking places rose 1.1%. The pattern suggests the headline gain was not uniform across retailers, though...