Retail Sales increased by 1.4% in October to $347.5 billion annualized, better than the expected increase of 0.9%, following a 2.3% decrease the previous month, revised downward from a 1.5% decrease. Over the past year, retail sales volume has reduced by 1.7%. Sales in automobiles increased by 7.4%, allaying concerns that households would curtail expenditure after the effect of government incentives had ended. Retail Sales excluding autos had increased by 0.2% in October following a 0.4% increase in September. Over the past year, retail sales excluding autos have declined by 2.6%.

Business Inventories are expected today at 10:00 AM EST. Business inventories fell by 1.5% in August to $1,311.4 billion, and are down 13.3% from August 2008 levels. The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for August increased by 1% to $989.6 billion, seasonally adjusted, but is down 15.1% over the past year. The inventories/sales

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Retail Sales fell by 1.5% in September to $344.7 billion annualized, although better than the expected 2.1% decline, following a 2.2% increase the previous month, revised downward from 2.7%  Over the past year, retail sales volume has reduced by 5.7%.  Sales in automobiles drove the strong increase in August due to the Cash for Clunkers program, but over the course of September have fallen by 10.4% without the aid of the program.  As a result, Retail Sales excluding autos had increased by 0.5% in September following a 1% increase in August.  Over the past year, retail sales excluding autos have declined by 4.9%.

Business Inventories fell by 1.5% in August to $1,311.4 billion, and is down 13.3% from August 2008 levels.  The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for August increased by 1% to $989.6 billion, seasonally adjusted, but is down 15.1% over the

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Retail Sales fell by 0.1% in July to $342.3 billion, worse than the expected 0.7% growth, after a 0.8% increase in June, revised upward from the originally reported 0.6% advance.  Over the past year, retail sales volume has decreased by 8.3%.  Sales in automobiles proved to be strongest in July as a result of the Cash for Clunkers program.  As a result, Retail Sales excluding autos exhibited a larger decrease, by 0.6%.  Over the past year, retail sales excluding autos have declined by 8.5%.

Initial Claims increased by 4,000 to 558,000 filings for the week ending 08/08, expected to decrease to 542,000, from 554,000 the previous week, revised from 550,000.   The 4-week moving average was 565,000, a decrease of 8,500.  Seasonally adjusted insured unemployment last week was 6,202,000, a decrease of 141,000 from the preceding week's revised level, bringing the seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate down to

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The Producer Price Index increased by 1.8% in June to 174.1 (1982=100), expected to increase by 0.9%, following a 0.2% increase in May, and a 0.3% increase in April. Over the year, the index has decreased by 4.6%.  The index for energy goods jumped 6.6% after advancing 2.9% in the prior month.  Prices for consumer foods increased by 1.1%, following a 1.6% drop in May.  Excluding food and energy prices, Core PPI increased by 0.5%, following a 0.1% decrease in May and a 0.1% increase in April. 

Retail Sales increased by 0.6% in June to$342.1 billion, more than the 0.4% growth analysts had expected , after advancing 0.5% in May and falling 0.2% in April.  Over the past year, retail sales volume has decreased by 9.0%.  Sales in gasoline stations showed to be strongest in May, increasing by 5.0% over the month, although since June of 2008 sales

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The Producer Price Index decreased by 1.2% in March to 168.9 (1982=100), following a 0.1% increase in February and by 0.8% in January which broke the 5 consecutive months of decline in the index. Expectations were that the PPI would decrease by 0.1%, generating a negative surprise. Over the year, the index has decreased by 3.5%.  Wholesale prices fell largely due to fallen energy prices.  Excluding food and energy prices, Core PPI was unchanged following a 0.2% increase last month.  Prices for energy goods are down 5.5% after rising by 1.3% in February, while the index for consumer foods fell by 0.7% after falling 1.6% last month.

Retail Sales fell by 1.1% in March to an annual pace of $344.4 billion, as consumers continue to hold back spending, much less than the expected 0.3% increase.  Over the past year, retail sales volume has decreased by 10.1%. 

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Retail Sales declined slightly, by 0.1% in February to $326.8 billion, as consumers continue to hold back on spending, although the decline was better than the expected 0.4% drop following a 1.8% growth in sales in January from an originally reported 1% increase.  Over the past year, retail sales volume has decreased by 8.6%.  Retail sales excluding autos, which tends to be a more volatile component of spending, increased by 0.7%, also a positive surprise as this figure was also expected to decline by 0.1%, following a 1.6% increase in January revised from a 0.9% increase.  Over the past year, retail sales excluding autos have declined by 9.8%.  Sales in motor vehicle parts and dealers are down 4.3% over the month and are down 23.5% over the year.

Initial Claims for the week ending March 7th were 654,000, exceeding the 643,000 estimate, an increase of 9,000

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According to the latest statistics released by the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, the total value of retail sales in Hong Kong in July 2008 was HKD24.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 13.8% — higher than the 11.2% expected. After netting out the effect of price changes, the total retail sales volume in July 2008 [...]