(11-15-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau announced the following advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for October 2019: Advance Estimates of U.S. Retail and Food Services Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for October 2019, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $526.5 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent (±0.4 percent)* from the previous month, and 3.1 percent (±0.7 percent) above October 2018. Total sales for the August 2019 through October 2019 period were up 3.8 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same period a year ago. The August 2019 to September 2019 percent change was unrevised from down 0.3 percent (±0.2 percent). Retail trade sales were up 0.3 percent (±0.4 percent)* from September 2019, and 2.9 percent (±0.7 percent) above last year. Nonstore retailers were up 14.3 percent (±1.4 percent) from October 2018, and gasoline stations were down 5.0 percent (±1.2 percent) from last year.