Retail Sales Up 0.1% in February

Washington, DC, March 13, 2007–Retail rose  0.1% in February after remaining flat in January, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

Sales were led by a solid 0.9% rise in auto sales and a 1.2% rise in gasoline station sales, which was boosted by higher prices at the pump.

Sales were weaker than Wall Street’s expectations for 0.2% gains for both overall sales and for sales excluding autos.

Sales elsewhere were weak. Sales excluding autos fell 0.1%, the first decline since October. And excluding both cars and gasoline sales, retail sales fell 0.3%, the largest decline since April 2004.