Census: Retail Sales Rise 1.5%

WASHINGTON DC-Retail sales increased 1.5% in September compared to August, says the US Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce. Retail and food service companies sold $341.3 billion of goods, the department says.

Year-on-year, retailers also improved. From September 2003, companies posted a sales increase of 7.5%, the Department reported. The government says the highest performers were gas stations, reporting an increase of 15.1% from the year before, and home improvement retailers, whose sales shot up 14.4% from 2003. Total sales from July through August were 6.5% compared to a year ago.

The Department’s report comes about a week after the International Council of Shopping Centers’ survey on monthly same-store sales. In September, comparable sales rose 2.4%, ICSC says. During that period, wholesale clubs were the retail sector’s leaders with a 6.6% year-on-year jump.