U.S. Retail Sales Unexpectedly Unchanged, Ex-Auto Sales Inch Higher

RTTNews | 969 days ago
U.S. Retail Sales Unexpectedly Unchanged, Ex-Auto Sales Inch Higher

(RTTNews) - A report released by the Commerce Department on Friday showed U.S. retail sales unexpectedly came in unchanged in the month of September.

The Commerce Department said retail sales were virtually unchanged in September after rising by an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in August.

Economists had expected retail sales to edge up by 0.2 percent compared to the 0.3 percent increase originally reported for the previous month.

"With retail sales unchanged in September there is still little evidence that the boost to purchasing power from the earlier sharp fall in gasoline prices has helped real consumption," said Andrew Hunter, Senior U.S. Economist at Capital Economics.

He added, "Energy prices are now edging higher again and employment growth is slowing, so we expect consumption growth to weaken further over the coming months."

The flat reading on retail sales came amid a modest pullback by sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers, which fell by 0.4 percent in September after surging by 2.8 percent in August.

Excluding the decrease in auto sales, retail sales inched up by 0.1 percent in September after edging down by 0.1 percent in August. Ex-auto sales were expected to dip by 0.1 percent.

The uptick in ex-auto sales partly reflected a jump in sales by department stores as well as increases in sales by clothing and accessories stores, health and personal care stores and food service and drinking places.

On the other hand, the report showed sales by gas stations slumped by 1.4 percent in September after plunging by 5.2 percent in August amid lower gasoline prices.

Sales by miscellaneous store retailers also tumbled by 2.5 percent, while sales by electronics and appliance stories, furniture and home furnishings stores and sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument and book stores also fell.

Core retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, increased by 0.4 percent in September after inching up by 0.2 percent in August.

read more
U.S. Job Growth Slightly Exceeds Estimates In May

U.S. Job Growth Slightly Exceeds Estimates In May

Employment in the U.S. increased by slightly more than expected in the month of May, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Friday. The Labor Department said non-farm payroll employment shot up by 139,000 jobs in May after jumping by a downwardly revised 147,000 jobs in April.
RTTNews | 3 days ago
U.S. Labor Productivity Slumps 1.5% In Q1, Much More Than Previously Estimated

U.S. Labor Productivity Slumps 1.5% In Q1, Much More Than Previously Estimated

Revised data released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed U.S. labor productivity tumbled by much more than previously estimated in the first quarter of 2025. The Labor Department said labor productivity slumped by 1.5 percent in the first quarter compared to the previously reported 0.8 percent decline. Economists had expected the decrease by labor productivity to be revised to 0.7 percent.
RTTNews | 4 days ago
U.S. Trade Deficit Narrows Substantially In April As Imports Plummet

U.S. Trade Deficit Narrows Substantially In April As Imports Plummet

Largely reflecting a sharp pullback by the value of the imports, the Commerce Department released a report on Thursday showing a substantial decrease in the size of the U.S. trade deficit in the month of April. The Commerce Department said the U.S. trade deficit narrowed to $61.6 billion in April from a revised $138.3 billion in March.
RTTNews | 4 days ago
U.S. Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Rise To Nearly Eight-Month High

U.S. Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Rise To Nearly Eight-Month High

With the more closely watched monthly jobs report looming, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly increased in the week ended May 31st. The report said initial jobless claims climbed to 247,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised level of 239,000.
RTTNews | 4 days ago
U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Rise To 247,000

U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Rise To 247,000

With the more closely watched monthly jobs report looming, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly increased in the week ended May 31st.
RTTNews | 4 days ago