U.S. retail sales flat in July

Retail sales in the U.S. were flat in July, according to the U.S. Commerce Department, following a 0.8 percent increase in June. Economists had forecast a small gain in July. Excluding automotive categories, sales were up 0.4 percent. LBM and garden equipment sales were among the categories that remained steady. Compared with July 2021, sales were up 10.3 percent.