Retail sales get Mother's Day boost

WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- Retail sales in the United States rose slightly in the week ending May 9, the International Council of Shopping Centers-USB reported Tuesday.

Sales were up 0.3 percent for the week and up 0.5 percent from a year ago, the report said.

Warm weather and the "shopping catalyst of Mother's Day helped lift consumer traffic to its highest reading since early January," the weekly sales report said.

While temperatures averaged 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the previous year, Weather Trends International reported it was also the second wettest start to May in over 17 years.

Potentially dragging sales down, gasoline prices rose sharply in the week, up 16.2 cents a gallon in the past seven days to a national average price of $2.24 on May 11, the Energy Information Administration reported.

Gasoline prices remain 40 percent below a year ago. Although rising, they are "not a drag so far," on shopping, ICSC reported.