Retail Sales Unexpectedly Rise in June

Retail sales unexpectedly edged up in June as a rebound in receipts from auto dealers offset the biggest drop in gasoline sales in a year, a government report showed on Thursday.

Total retail sales rose 0.1 percent, the Commerce Department said, after a dipping 0.1 percent in May. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast sales slipping 0.1 percent.

Sales excluding gasoline rebounded 0.3 percent after declining 0.2 percent in May.