(10-16-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau announced the following advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for September 2019: Advance Estimates of U.S. Retail and Food Services. Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for September 2019, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $525.6 billion, a decrease of 0.3 percent (±0.5 percent)* from the previous month, but 4.1 percent (±0.7 percent) above September 2018. Total sales for the July 2019 through September 2019 period were up 4.0 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same period a year ago. The July 2019 to August 2019 percent change was revised from up 0.4 percent (±0.5 percent)* to up 0.6 percent (±0.2 percent). Retail trade sales were down 0.3 percent (±0.4 percent)* from August 2019, but 4.0 percent (±0.5 percent) above last year. Nonstore retailers were up 12.9 percent (±1.4 percent) from September 2018, and miscellaneous stores were up 9.3 percent (±4.6 percent) from last year.