Total retail sales increased 0.6% (4.5% y/y) during March following an unrevised 0.1% slip in February. The gain was the first in four months. A 0.4% increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, retail sales improved an expected 0.2% (4.5% y/y) following an unrevised 0.2% rise.

Sales of discretionary items were mixed last month. Sales of motor vehicles & parts increased 2.0% (4.5% y/y) following four consecutive months of decline. The rise compared to a 4.5% increase in unit auto sales reported earlier this month. Sales of nonstore retailers improved 0.8% (9.7% y/y) after a 0.9% gain. Sales at furniture & home furnishing stores rose 0.7% (3.9% y/y) after a 0.4% rise. Electronics appliance store sales rose 0.5% (1.0% y/y) following a 1.0% fall. General merchandise store sales improved 0.3% (3.2% y/y) following a 0.4% gain. Countering these increases was a 0.6% decline (+5.3% y/y) in building materials & garden equipment store sales after a 2.0% rise. Sporting goods, hobby, book & music store purchases fell 1.8% (-3.3% y/y) following a 3.3% increase. Clothing & accessory store sales were off 0.8% (+1.8% y/y) following two months of improvement.

Gasoline service station sales eased 0.3% (+9.7 y/y) following a 0.1% uptick.

Sales of nondiscretionary items strengthened last month. Health & personal care store sales increased 1.4% (0.8% y/y) after four straight months of decline. Food & beverage store sales improved 0.2% (3.0% y/y), the same as in February.

Food service & drinking establishment sales improved 0.4% (3.1% y/y) for the second straight month.

The retail sales data can be found in Haver's USECON database. The Action Economics forecast is in the AS1REPNA database.