MNI: 5 Things We Learned From The October Retail Sales Data>

By Kevin Kastner and Holly Stokes

     WASHINGTON (MNI) - The following are the key points from the retail 

sales report from the Commerce Department released Wednesday: 

     - October retail sales +0.2% vs flat reading expected, +0.1% ex 

motor vehicle vs +0.2% expected, as motor vehicle sales +0.7% compared 

with the drop expected. September sales rev up to +1.9%, +1.2% ex mv. 

     - October sales +0.3% ex. motor vehicle and gas and +0.3% ex auto, 

building materials, gas and food services, suggesting underlying 

sales growth slowed from September, but was still positive. 

     - Gas station sales -1.2% (sales ex. gas +0.4%) and building 

materials -1.2%, both retreating from their hurricane-related spikes. 

     - Food services sales +0.8%, adding to gains in most other 

categories, though nonstore retailers fell 0.3%. 

     - October total sales +6.0% vs 3Q average at an annual rate and 

were +4.2% ex motor vehicles and +2.6% ex autos, building materials, 

gas, and food services, suggesting a solid start for 4Q PCE. 

     ** MNI Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 ** 

[TOPICS: MAUDS$,M$U$$$,MAUDR$]