US: Retail and food services sales for May were $502.0 bln, an increase of 0.8% from Apr

"Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May 2018, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $502.0 billion, an increase of 0.8 percent from the previous month, and 5.9 percent above May 2017," the U.S. Census Bureau announced on Thursday.

Key takeaways

• Total sales for the March 2018 through May 2018 period were up 5.2 percent from the same period a year ago.
• The March 2018 to April 2018 percent change was revised from up 0.2 percent to up 0.4 percent.
• Gasoline Stations were up 17.7 percent from May 2017, while Nonstore Retailers were up 9.1 percent from last year.