Indicators
US Retail Sales Rise by More Than Forecast in Broad Advance
Shoppers in the SoHo neighborhood of New York in February.
Photographer: Michael Nagle/BloombergUS retail sales rebounded by more than forecast in February in a broad advance as consumers stepped up spending after a slow start to the year.
The value of retail purchases increased 0.6% after a slight decline in January, helped by resurgent auto sales. Excluding motor vehicles and gas, sales rose 0.4%, the most since August, according to Commerce Department data out Wednesday. The figures aren’t adjusted for inflation.