WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. retail sales in July declined for the first time in five months, slipping 0.1 percent, the Census Bureau said Wednesday.
Sales, adjusted for seasonal variations, but not for price changes, were $384.6 billion in the month, the bureau said.
Sales topped figures from a year ago by 2.6 percent, the report reported.
Vehicle sales accounted for a large percent of the slump. Excluding sales of vehicles and auto parts, sales rose by 0.4 percent in the month and 6 percent from a year ago.
Gas station sales jumped 0.8 percent in June and 24.6 percent from a year ago, while vehicle sales, inversely reacting to fuel price hikes, fell 2.4 percent in July from June and have fallen 10.5 percent from a year ago.
Electronics and appliance store sales, up 4.8 percent on the year, gained 0.8 percent in July.
Furniture and home furnishing stores reported a 1 percent rise in the month and a drop of 4.8 percent for the year, the report said.
