March Retail Sales Rise 0.3%, Short of Expecations

arch retail sales rose 0.3%, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday, less than forecasters had predicted.

Analysts had forecast retail sales to rise by 0.8%, Bloomberg reported.

The increase to $339.3 billion followed a 0.5% gain in February, Commerce said. Excluding automobiles, sales increased just 0.1%, the smallest rise since last April.

The gain was led by motor vehicle sales, building materials and fuel, Commerce said. Purchases declined at department stores, furniture stores and electronics stores.

The overall figures showed that higher fuel prices could be taking more out of consumers’ wallets, Bloomberg reported. Sales at filling stations rose 2.1%, the biggest rise since October, following a 1.1% increase in February.

Sales at automobile dealerships and auto parts stores increased 0.7% in March, following a 0.1 increase in February. Sales at electronics and appliance stores dropped 0.3%.

ales at non-store retailers, includes online purchases and catalog sales, rose 1.2% in March after a revised 0.6% drop a month earlier. Sales at general merchandise stores, which include department stores, fell 0.7%.