On a monthly basis, retail sales decreased 0.3% from September to October (seasonally adjusted), and sales were up 4.1% from October 2013. Sales in September were unrevised at a 0.3% decrease.
From the Census Bureau report:
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for October, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $444.5 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent from the previous month, and 4.1 percent above October 2013. … The August to September 2014 percent change was unrevised from -0.3%.
Click on graph for larger image.
This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales and food service, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline).
Retail sales ex-gasoline increase 0.5%.
Retail sales ex-autos increased 0.3%.
The second graph shows the year-over-year change in retail sales and food service (ex-gasoline) since 1993.
Retail sales ex-gasoline increased by 5.1% on a YoY basis (4.1% for all retail sales).
The increase in October was above consensus expectations of a 0.2% increase.
Overall this was a solid report.