Retail Sales Jump 0.8% in July

Retail sales rose 0.8% in July, after an even stronger 1.4% June increase, as consumers filed back into auto showrooms and department and furniture stores, the government reported today.

While half of the July gain and two-thirds of the June increase came from a rebound in auto sales, many analysts said the back-to-back increases were still impressive in the wake of several months of lackluster performance.