WASHINGTON — U.S. consumers bounced back in March and bought more cars, furniture and appliances after three months of declining retail sales. The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 0.6 per cent last month, the largest increase since November. Online retail sales increased 0.8 per cent in March and have risen nearly 10 per cent compared with a year ago. That’s more than double the overall retail sales gain in the past 12 months of 4.5 per cent. Retail sales are closely watched by economists because they provide an early read on consumer spending, the principal driver of the U.S. economy.

Source: National Post April 16, 2018 12:53 UTC