U.S. retail sales hold steady in April

U.S. retail sales edged up by 0.4 percent in April, according to U.S. Commerce Department data. In a Reuters poll, economists projected an increase of 0.8 percent. Sales by LBM and garden supply dealers were up 0.5 percent from March but remained 3.7 percent below last April. March’s data was revised slightly downward to a decline of 0.7 percent from the estimated 0.6 percent.