U.S. retail sales declined during September, for the first time in seven months, according to the Los Angeles Times. Overall sales fell 0.3 percent in September from August after an increase of 0.6 percent in August.
Declines in gasoline and car sales was the major contributor behind the drop – excluding those categories, retail sales “were little changed,” the LA Times reports.
Other category declines included online/non-store retailers (0.3 percent); building materials (1 percent); general merchandise (0.3 percent); and books, musical instruments, hobby and sporting goods (0.1 percent).