0.4% increased sales by U.S. retailers in March. Washington, April 13 () .- The sales of U.S. retailers rose 0.4% in March, the ninth consecutive monthly increase while the little ones since July, according to Department reported today of Commerce.
In February, retail sales rose 1.1%, and the March figure is not as good as it sounds, since much of the increase is due to the highest prices for gasoline.
Excluding gasoline, retail sales that month rose, fallen earth buy chips, just 0.1%, the government said.
If on the other side is excluded each of 1.7% in sales of motor vehicles, the retail business grew by 0.8% last month.
The central indicator, which excludes both the vehicles as gasoline and building materials, rose 0.4% in March.
The gasoline prices have fallen in the last five weeks and one reason is that consumers have been buying and, eve online isk, driving vehicles more efficient fuel.
Currently, the petroleum crude is trading at about 106 dollars per barrel, and the average price of gasoline across the United States is 3.60 dollars per gallon (95.2 cents of dollars by liter).
When in the summer (northern hemisphere) of 2008 the price of a barrel of petroleum in the global market reaches 145 dollars a barrel, gasoline prices, eve isk, were slightly more higher than now, and around 4 dollars per gallon (1.06 dollars per liter).
While in 2008 consumers complained, but did not change a lot of his habits, in recent weeks there have been declines in gasoline purchases.