US retail sales edge up in June

Sales at US retailers slightly rebounded in June, led by auto sales, as consumers continued to hold their purses tight in a weak economy, official data showed Thursday. Retail sales rose 0.1 percent from May, the Labor Department said. The small rise surprised most analysts, whose average estimate was for sales to fall by 0.2 percent in June. Auto sales, which vary widely from month to month, led the June gain. They rose 0.8 percent after falling 1.8 percent in May, the department said. Excluding auto sales, retail sales were essentially flat last month. The data, adjusted for seasonal and days-worked factors but not for prices, showed June retail sales year-on-year rose 8.1 percent.