Retail sales declined in September, said the Commerce Department. Sales dropped 1.5% last month.
Excluding gas and auto sales, retail sales rose 0.4% in September. Other areas of strength included demand at furniture stores, which jumped 1.4%. Sales at general merchandise stores, a category that includes big retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, rose 0.9%. Sales at department stores increaed 0.4%.
