US: Retail and food services sales for Oct. 2017 were $486.6 billion, an increase of 0.2% from Sep.

"Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for October 2017, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $486.6 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent from the previous month, and 4.6 percent above October 2016," the U.S. Census Bureau reported today.

Key highlights

Total sales for the August 2017 through October 2017 period were up 4.3 percent from the same period a year ago.

The August 2017 to September 2017 percent change was revised from up 1.6 percent to up 1.9 percent.

Retail trade sales were up 0.2 percent from September 2017, and were up 4.7 percent from last year.

Building Materials and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers were up 8.8 percent from October 2016, while Gasoline Stations were up 7.5 percent from last year.