Posted on 05/12/2011 7:03:27 AM PDT by Free Vulcan
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Sales at U.S. retailers increased for the 10th straight month in April, further evidence that the economy’s moving ahead at a gradual pace, according to the government’s latest data.
Retail sales rose 0.5% in April to a seasonally adjusted $389.4 billion, the Commerce Department estimated Thursday. March sales were revised up to show 0.9% growth from an initial estimate of 0.4% growth; February sales were revised higher as well.
Compared with April 2010, sales are up 7.6%...
Excluding a 0.2% increase in sales of motor vehicles, retail sales rose 0.6% for April.
Economists had expected a 0.7% increase, but the March figure was revised higher to show 1.2% growth from an initial reading of 0.7% growth.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
No sh!t. Everything costs more.
I wonder if ‘seasonally adjusted’ takes into consideration inflation. If not, retail sales rose 0.5% in April while wholesale prices climbed 0.8%, making a net decline of 0.3%. It’s all spin. We know how the economy is really doing.... we’re living in it. Expert statistics mean nothing when trying to make ends meet.
.... and it annoys the pig..
Classic example of how, when people don’t have any education in math or statistics, they can be bamboozled.
“Retail sales are up!” No! More dollars may have been transacted, but not more GOODS and SERVICES. This is largely, if not entirely, the result of food and gasoline price inflation.
But never mind that. Hines Ward made it to the semi-finals of Dancing With the Stars.
Unit sales are not up.
Transportation cost are up. Cost push to price.
Dollar value is down. Cost push to retail price.
Higher prices mean retail sales appear to increase.
Now the issue is, how long can consumers buy in the face of increasing prices. There is a point where they will reduce what they buy.
Many are talking about runaway inflation. But if the money is not there to fuel it, it will not be inflation at all. Deflationary collapse. That is what the Fed is trying desperately to prevent. Not sure it is possible to do that. The money supply grows, but is it within the U.S. or abroad that the affect is seen?
What a mess our Globalist have created.
I work in retail, have to agree prices have increased...several times over this past year...and I have seen many walk away from purchasing because of these increases. More times than not they are stunned that prices are now beyond their pocketbook.... others who do buy are selecting far less quality than anticipated.
Additionally our selections have now included far more items less expensive than genrally carried.
The Rumpelstiltskin media can try and spin gold from dross all they want, but I wonder if people are going to believe the manure being spread by the Obama propaganda media-industrial-complex or what their cash register tapes are telling them when they go to the store to buy essentials like food and gas?
Frakin’ amazing that the people who write this business analytical shit always fail to mention the real reasons why retail prices are up and up on a consecutive basis.... =.=
At the same time prices went up 0.8%, so it is really pretty much a wash.
Hmmmmm....
The NYT’s headline is much more honest than Marketwatch...
(I think that’s a sign of the apocalypse..)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2718830/posts
” Energy Costs Lift Retail Sales and Producer Prices “
Retail sales rose 0.5 percent in April after a 0.9 percent increase in March. Excluding a 2.7 percent jump in gasoline sales reflecting higher prices, the increase in retail sales was a much smaller 0.2 percent.
Gasoline pump prices have been surging in recent months, with the nationwide average hovering near $4 a gallon. Economists are worried that higher fuel costs will leave motorists with less money to spend on other items, and that will slow the overall economy.
Sales at gasoline stations, which made up about 10.5 percent of total sales in April, increased 2.7 percent after rising 4.1 percent in March.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2718830/posts
It called the MSM knows that Obama is in trouble 2012. That is why they are doing everything to pretend that Happy Days Are Here Again.
It does not matter what they say. Only people in Academia think this is real. Everyone else knows it’s bogus.
BINGO! - That was my exact same thought as soon as I saw the headline.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Coupons for food grew in popularity last year, with redemption rates up 3% on top of a 27% increase in 2009.
“The interesting news from 2010 is that the change in consumer behavior that led to drastic increases in coupon redemption during the economic crisis is holding post recession,” said Bob Carter, president of promotion services for Inmar, in a prepared statement.
http://supermarketnews.com/news/coupson_use_0301/
People are doing whatever it takes to be able to afford rising grocery prices.
I almost never buy retail. The reason why I go to some store like Best Buy is only if say emergencies, such as my usb cord is defective and in the middle of backing up so i go to the store..
But the REAL reason is that I need to see the physical measurements and size of the item, and test run it in the store.
THEN buy it online.
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