US retail sales in June rose 0.6 percent from the previous month, the 2nd straight monthly increase.
Data released by the US Commerce Department on Tuesday shows that retail sales stood at about 342 billion dollars.
The better-than-forecast figure is mainly attributed to a 5 percent increase in gasoline sales. Discounts by automakers to reduce inventories pushed up sales of automobiles and auto parts by 2.3 percent. Sales at department stores and mass retailers fell by 0.4 percent.
Although sales grew for 2 months, economists warn that personal consumption has yet to begin a full recovery.
They say that the job market is worsening and the positive June data is mostly due to brisk gasoline sales.
2009/07/15 03:08(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_01.html 
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