October retail sales generally hold steady

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for October were $411.6 billion, down 0.3% from the previous month, but up 3.8% compared with the same month last year. 

The figures, released Wednesday morning, are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. 

October sales among building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, businesses in the NAICS 444 group, were $24.318 billion, down from $24.798 in September, but up from $24.142 in October of 2011. 

Retail trade sales were down 0.3% from September 2012, but 3.8% above last year.