Retail sales surge in July in a reassuring sign for the U.S. economy

Published: Aug 15, 2019 10:29 a.m. ET

The numbers: Sales at U.S. retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy posted the biggest increase in July in four months, a sign Americans are still confident in the economy even as headwinds pick up.

Retail sales increased 0.7% last month, the government said Thursday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 0.3% increase. (READ MORE)