Retail sales in the United States increased by 0.9% month‑over‑month in April, surpassing the 0.5% forecast and the 0.5% gain recorded in March. Core retail sales, which exclude auto and gasoline, rose 0.8% month‑over‑month, also beating the 0.5% estimate and up from 0.7% in the prior month. Year‑over‑year retail sales data for April was not released, but the previous annual growth rate stood at 4.9%.