Retail sales in June took their biggest monthly dive in about two years, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Adjusted for seasonal variation, holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, U.S. retail and food service sales were $373.9 billion in June, a decrease of 0.9 percent from the previous month.
However, the department notes the margin of error for its percentage change figure is +/- 0.7 percent.
According to the department, total sales for the April through June 2007 period were up 3.9 percent from the same period a year ago. The April to May 2007 percent change was revised from a gain of 1.4 percent to a gain of 1.5 percent.
Retail trade sales were down 1.0 percent, a figure that carries a margin of error of +/- 0.7 percent, from May 2007, but were 3.5 percent above last year, the department said.
