The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that U.S. September retail sales rose by 0.6 percent from its prior month on a seasonally-adjusted basis following a 0.7 percent rise in August.
Total retail sales (not including motor vehicle and gasoline) rose by 0.4 percent in September following a 1 percent gain in August. Shopping-center sales—derived from these data by ICSC Research—rose by 0.4 percent in September compared with a gain of twice that pace in August. The Commerce Department figures were presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
“On a month-over-month basis, strong sales gains for motor vehicles, which rose by 1.6 percent, and electronics up 1.5 percent helped to lift the overall pace, but there were solid across the board gains in most of the categories,” ICSC said. “On the weak side, were clothing and department stores—both off in September—and likely negatively affected by abnormally warm weather curbing demand for seasonal merchandise.”
On a year-over-year basis, total retail sales rose by a strong 7.3 percent in September, the strongest monthly performance since March. Excluding motor vehicles and gasoline, retail sales were up 5 percent for the month. Shopping-center sales in September rose by 3.5 percent.