July retail up higher than expected

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Retail sales in July rose a slim 0.5 percent, one tick higher than expected, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Friday.

Retail sales, including food service sales, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for prices, were $390.4 billion, an 8.5 percent increase from July 2010, the bureau said in a release.

The consensus forecast for month-to-month sales gains had called for an 0.4 percent increase.

Gasoline sales were up 23.6 percent from July 2010 and non-store retail sales were up 14.1 percent from last year, the bureau said.