Retail sales increase in July

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for July, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $390.4 billion, an increase of 0.5% from the previous month, and 8.5% above July 2010. 

Sales in building material & garden equipment & supplies dealers, NAICS code 444, were an adjusted $25.047 billion in July, down from $25.143 billion in June, but up from $23.291 billion in July 2010.

Retail trade sales were up 0.5% from June 2011, and 8.9% above last year. Nonstore retailer sales were up 14.1% from last year, according to the report released Friday morning.