LBM boosts U.S. retail sales

U.S. retail sales rose unexpectedly in May, according to new U.S. Commerce Department data. Sales were up by 0.3 percent last month following a 0.4 percent increase in April. In a Reuters poll, economists projected that sales would edge down by 0.1 percent. LBM and garden categories logged an increase of 2.2 percent, attributed to home renovations.