BUSINESS BRIEFING / THE ECONOMY : Retail sales rise 1.4% in October

Retail sales rose more than expected in October largely because of a big rebound in auto sales. But broader consumer spending remains under pressure, raising questions about the durability of the recovery.

The jump in sales followed a dismal September retail performance that was revised even lower by the government.

The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 1.4% last month. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected a gain of 1%. Excluding auto sales, retail demand rose 0.2%.