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Total retail sales in March were up 4.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis over the same period last year, their biggest jump since December, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Excluding autos and gasoline, retail sales grew 4.1 percent year-over-year. Broken down by sector, building supply stores saw the biggest increase (5.3 percent), followed by furniture and home furnishings stores (3.9 percent.) Sales at general merchandise stores rose 3.2 percent, while apparel sales grew 1.8 percent and electronics stores went up 1 percent. Food and beverage were up 3 percent compared to last March, while at health and personal care product stores, sales increased 0.8 percent. Restaurant and drinking establishment (non-retail) sales grew 3.1 percent over March 2017.
By Edmund Mander
Director, Editor-In-Chief/SCT
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