Retail Sales Jump Again in February

U.S. consumers continued a spending spree in February, snapping up everything from cars to clothing, sending retail sales up 0.9% to a seasonally adjusted $236.5 billion, the Commerce Department said. The increase followed a 1% rise in January, a sharp revision from the previously reported 0.2% gain, showing a still vigorous expansion despite a weak global economy. Auto sales jumped 1.8%, after a rise of 0.7% in January. Excluding autos, sales were up 0.6%, with gains in every major product category, after a 1.1% surge the month before. Even gasoline sales increased by 0.8%, despite generally lower prices. February marked the seventh straight month in which retail sales grew, adding powerful momentum to the nearly 8-year-old economic expansion.