Retail and food service sales for October increased by 1.4 percent over the previous month, but were 1.7 percent less than the same month last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sales for the month were $347.5 billion. Sales for August through October were up 1.5 percent from the same period a year ago, but sales for August and September were down 2.3 percent over the same period.
Without food service, retail trade sales were up 1.4 percent between September and October, but 2.1 percent less than last year.
Gasoline sales were down 15 percent.
