With some exceptions, retail sales for the month of July showed positive signs. As the summer season fades down, July sales’ advance estimates show good increases in food and drinking services (9%), Furniture (6.1%) and Building materials (2.8). Those three lines boosted the annual change in sales, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In aggregated terms, the most significant changes were in food services, which showed a 2.4% increase when compared to the same month 2014.

Food sales July 2015

Retail trade sales were little changed from July 2014 given a sharp decline in Gasoline sales, electronic appliances and sales at Department Stores. Regarding gasoline, it is most than natural that the nominal value had deceased since oil price is still at record lows. On the other hand, Health and personal care store sales were 3.1 percent change along with the same figure for Clothing and accessories stores. Sales of Sporting goods, hobby, books and music increased by 6.4 percent when compared to the same month 2014.

Health sales July 2015

Good news were mostly on sales of Furniture and Building materials. Sales of Furniture stores increased by 6.1 percent, while Building materials, garden equipment and supplies did so by 2.8 percent. Electronics, as already mentioned, declined on sales by -2.5 percent.

Furniture Sales July 2015

Retail sales in Department stores also declined by -2.7 percent. Other retailers such as miscellaneous stores and nonstores retailer increased their sales in July by 3.1 and 6 percent respectively.

Dept. Stores Sales 2015