Retail Sales Fall 0.5% in April

etail sales declined in April for the first time in seven months, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

The 0.5% drop to $331.8 billion followed a revised 2% increase the month before that was the biggest in a year. Excluding autos, sales fell 0.1% in April.

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 fell 1.8% last month after rising 2.4% in March.

Sales at clothing and accessory stores fell 2%, while sales at general merchandise stores, which include department stores, fell 0.8%.

Receipts at gasoline service stations rose 0.2% percent last month as retail prices continued to rise.

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