US: Advance estimates of retail and food services sales for May 2017 were $473.8 billion

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May 2017, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $473.8 billion, a decrease of 0.3 percent from the previous month, and 3.8 percent above May 2016, the US Census Bureau reported on Wednesday.

Key quotes:

• Total sales for the March 2017 through May 2017 period were up 4.4 percent from the same period a year ago. The March 2017 to April 2017 percent change was unrevised at 0.4 percent.
• Retail trade sales were down 0.3 percent from April 2017, and up 4.0 percent from last year. Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers were up 10.8 percent from May 2016, while Nonstore Retailers were up 10.2 percent from last year.