MW: U.S. retail sales up 3.9% compared with year ago
By Rex Nutting
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Led by a big gain in electronics, U.S. retail sales increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in February, despite three major snow storms in the East, the Commerce Department estimated Friday. Sales have risen in four of the past five months, and were up 3.9% compared with a year earlier. Most categories of retailers recorded month-over-month increases. Auto and truck sales were an exception, falling 2% compared with January. Excluding autos and trucks, retail sales increased 0.8%. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were expecting sales to be unchanged, and for sales excluding autos to rise 0.1%.
