March Retail Sales Show Biggest Gain in Four Months

Retail sales rose 1.6% in March, the biggest increase in four months, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The fifth increase in six months followed a revised 0.5% gain in February that had originally been reported as 0.1% increase. January’s sales were also revised upward to 0.5%, from 0.3%.

Economists had forecast sales would gain 1.2%, Bloomberg reported. Purchases excluding automobiles gained 0.6%, higher than estimated.

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