July retail sales see broad-based gain as consumers spur growth

Washington

SALES at US retailers rose in July on growing demand for everything from cars to clothing, and a decline the previous month was wiped away, signalling consumers are propelling growth in the world's largest economy.

The 0.6 per cent advance matched the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and followed little change in June that was previously reported as a 0.3 per cent drop, a Commerce Department report showed on Thursday in Washington. Eleven of 13 major categories showed gains.