US retail sales jump in June as Americans dine out and shop

Retail sales rose more than expected in June as Americans opened up their wallets again after the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic. 

U.S. retail sales rose unexpectedly in June, reflecting fairly broad gains across spending categories and wrapping up a solid quarter for household demand. The value of overall retail purchases advanced 0.6% last month following a downwardly revised 1.7% drop in May, Commerce Department figures showed Friday. Excluding autos, sales jumped 1.3% in June. The June increase in overall sales topped all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists. The median projection called for a 0.3% decrease in June sales, and a 0.4% gain excluding autos.