October retail sales see gains in advance of holiday shopping

The United States Department of Commerce’s U.S. Census Bureau reported that October retail sales—at $694.5 billion—rising 1.3% compared to September and were up 8.3% annually. And for the August through October period, retail sales increased a collective 8.9% annually. And the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that its calculation of retail sales, which excludes sales for automotive dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail, pointed to a 0.7% increase from...