Retail sales rose 0.6% last month, the fourth consecutive month of growth, the U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday. Retail sales have been recovering since they plunged in the spring as stores and malls were ordered closed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Those online sales, however, were flat last month, according to the Commerce Department, after soaring 22% in the past year. Wednesday’s retail sales report covers only about a third of overall consumer spending. And at furniture stores, sales rose 2.1% last month.

Source: ABC News September 16, 2020 13:18 UTC