Americans’ shopping surpassed pre-pandemic levels last month, but the U.S. economy still faces threats as it digs out of a severe recession. Retail sales—reflecting what households spent at service stations, stores, restaurants and online—rose 1.2% in July, the Commerce Department said Friday. That marked the third consecutive monthly gain as the U.S. strived to reopen its economy as much as possible despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: Wall Street Journal August 14, 2020 09:31 UTC