October 15, 2004 9:00 AM, EDT

September Retail Sales Rise 1.5%

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he Commerce Department said Friday that retail sales rose 1.5% in September, the most in six months.

The increase was led by the biggest rise in receipts at automobile dealerships since October 2001. Commerce said that excluding autos, sales rose 0.6%.

Economists expected retail sales would rise 0.7% last month after a previously reported drop of 0.3%, Bloomberg reported.

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

Sales at automobile dealerships and parts stores rose 4.2% in September after falling 1.3% the month before. Sales of cars and light trucks jumped to 17.5 million vehicles at an annual rate in September, a 5.4% increase.

Commerce said receipts at gasoline service stations rose 0.1%. Excluding cars and gasoline, sales rose 0.7%, the most since March, after a 0.2% increase.

Sales at building material and garden supply stores rose 1.4%, the most in six months. Economists said the jump could be related to purchases ahead of the three hurricanes that hit the southeastern United States last month, and to make repairs afterward, Bloomberg said.

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