Retail Sales Fall 0.1%; Rise 0.9% Excluding Automobiles

etail sales fell 0.1% in October from a month earlier, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

The drop followed a revised 0.3% gain in September that had originally been reported as a 0.2% rise.

Almost all trucking operations depend on the health of retail sales because such sales involve nearly every type of cargo.

ales at filling stations fell 0.8% following a 5.1% increase a month earlier, as retail fuel prices declined.

Electronics and appliance store sales rose 0.4%, while furniture sales rose 0.7%.

Sales at general merchandise stores, including department stores, gained 1.2% after a 0.8% rise in September.