U.S. retail sales fall again in April

INSTANT VIEW: U.S. retail sales fall again in April

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sales at U.S. retailers fell for a second straight month in April, pulled down by sluggish gasoline and electronic goods purchases, government data showed on Wednesday.
U.S. import prices climbed again in April as imported oil prices posted their sharpest jump in more than seven years, the Labor Department reported on Wednesday.

KEY POINTS:

RETAILS SALES * The Commerce Department said total retail sales slipped 0.4 percent after falling by a revised 1.3 percent in March, previously reported as a 1.2 percent drop. * Excluding motor vehicles and parts, sales dipped 0.5 percent in April, compared to a 1.2 percent decline the prior month. Vehicles and parts sales rose 0.2 percent after a 2.0 percent plunge in March. * Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales to be flat in April. Excluding motor vehicles, sales had been predicted to rise 0.2 percent. Read Article...
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE54C3B520090513