WASHINGTON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. retail and food services sales edged up 0.1 percent in April, slowing sharply after strong gains in the prior two months, official data showed on Tuesday.
The U.S. Department of Commerce said Tuesday that the combined retail and food services sales braked sharply following an upwardly revised growth of 1.5 percent in March, the biggest gain in four years.
The April figure, missing the market's expectation of 0.4 percent, is mainly held back by declines in electronics and appliance stores. Economists said that a later than usual Easter that caused seasonal adjustments might explain the sharp swing from March to April, and some said it indicated personal consumption is still curtailed by the adverse weather.
Auto sales increased 0.6 percent in April and department store sales jumped robustly by 1.6 percent. Sales of building materials and garden equipment also saw moderate rise. But excluding autos and gasoline, sales contracted 0.1 percent last month.
The retail sales started to pick up in February following a harsh winter that had dampened shopping demand. Personal consumption accounts for about 70 percent of the total economic activities.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑） |