Retail Sales Climb 0.4 Percent in July

Retail and food services sales increased 0.4 percent from June to July, according to a report Friday morning from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Seasonally adjusted sales rose to $362.7 billion, a 5.5 percent increase above July 2009, the report said. Total sales for the three months ended in July were up 5.9 percent from the year earlier period. The Census Bureau revised upward its estimate of the change from May to June, saying that sales fell 0.3 percent in June rather than 0.5 percent.

Retail trade sales were up 0.4 percent from June and 5.9 percent above last year. Nonstore retailers sales were up 12.6 percent from July 2009 and gasoline station sales were up 12.2 percent from last year.

“Household spending remains tepid amid concerns about economic stability,” said Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist for the National Retail Federation. “Current data on the economy is mixed which signals that retailers will continue planning with caution until a long-term trend can be established.”

Excluding automobiles, all other retail sales rose 0.2 percent; excluding gasoline as well as autos, retail sales fell 0.1 percent.

While sales may increase further as the fall season begins, July may have been the peak shipping month for retail merchandise as retailers brought merchandise in early to avoid shipping capacity shortages.

-- Contact Thomas L. Gallagher at tgallagher@joc.com.