U.S. retail sales decline in March

U.S. retail sales fell by 1.0 percent in March, according to U.S. Commerce Department data. In a Reuters poll, economists on average predicted that sales would edge down by just 0.4 percent. Sales in LBM and garden categories were down by 2.1 percent. February’s preliminary estimate of a 0.4 percent slide was revised upward to a decline of just 0.2 percent.