Retail sales up 0.6 percent in June

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Retail sales of $342.1 billion for June rose 0.6 percent over May, but still remained 9.0 percent below June 2008, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday.

Total sales for the April through June 2009 period also were down 9.6 percent in a year-over-year comparison for the same period in 2008, the department's Census Bureau said in a news release.

Retail trade sales were up 0.8 percent from May, but still were 10 percent below last year. Gasoline station sales also fell 31.6 percent from June 2008, while motor vehicle and parts dealers sales were down 14.1 percent from last year.

The Commerce Department said the totals were adjusted for seasonal variation, and holiday and trading-day differences.