May U.S. Retail Sales Unexpectedly Increase

U.S. retail sales posted an unexpected gain in May as consumers stepped up purchases of motor vehicles and building materials, according to Reuters on Thursday. Data from the U.S Commerce Department revealed that sales increased 0.3% last month after rising 0.4% in April, surpassing economists’ forecast for a slip of 0.1%. Year-over-year, sales rose 1