Also see: INFOGRAPHIC: US retail sales drop 0.2% in April
Sales of $8 billion from electronics and appliance stores grew
1.1% from April but declined 2.4% from May of last year. Food and beverage
stores sales were $62.8 billion, down 0.1% versus April and up 1.6% from last
May.
Sales from health and personal care stores were $29.8
billion, up 0.6% from April and 3.4% from last May. Sales at clothing and
clothing accessories stores remained unchanged from last month at $22.8 billion
but saw a drop of 2.3% from the same period last year.
The figures indicate a pickup in consumer spending, which brings optimism at a time when there are concerns over weakness in the economy amid trade tensions between the US and China.