The U.S. Census Bureau announced that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $362.5 billion, a decrease of 1.2 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month 
The drop was the first one since September and another sign of a sharp slowing of the domestic economy.
Douglas A. McIntyre
TABLE 1A. ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--May 2010
Estimates adjusted for seasonal variations and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Total sales estimates are shown in millions of dollars and are based on data from the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey, Monthly Retail Trade Survey, and administrative records.)(2) (In Millions of dollars) 2010 2010 2010 2009 2009 NAICS(1) Kind of Business May(3) Apr Mar May Apr Code (a) (p) (r) (r) (r) Retail & food services, total.................... 362,517 366,915 364,836 339,088 336,671 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 300,655 304,002 302,328 283,473 282,044 Retail ....................................... 323,007 327,429 325,435 300,711 298,297 GAFO(4).......................................... (*) 95,877 96,404 92,410 92,222 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 61,862 62,913 62,508 55,615 54,627 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 55,501 56,437 56,134 49,272 48,282 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 7,800 7,719 7,873 7,405 7,447 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 8,553 8,505 8,558 8,142 8,251 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) 6,723 6,760 6,487 6,589 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) 1,782 1,798 1,655 1,662 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 23,512 25,921 23,917 22,794 22,752 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) 20,941 20,207 19,537 19,458 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 49,147 48,999 49,150 47,924 47,765 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 43,838 43,607 43,801 42,743 42,621 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) 3,496 3,472 3,371 3,351 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 21,837 21,772 21,657 21,072 21,132 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) 18,515 18,429 18,104 18,176 447 Gasoline stations................................ 35,213 36,403 36,205 29,303 27,871 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 18,120 18,350 18,471 17,407 17,136 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) (S) (S) (S) (S) 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) 3,100 3,136 2,985 2,968 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) 2,271 2,306 2,149 2,123 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 7,212 7,180 7,272 6,834 7,032 452 General merchandise stores....................... 50,333 50,912 51,012 49,341 49,100 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 15,383 15,660 15,952 15,829 15,778 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.)(5)............... (*) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) 35,252 35,060 33,512 33,322 45291 Warehouse clubs & supercenters................. (*) 30,870 30,722 29,583 29,444 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) 4,382 4,338 3,929 3,878 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 9,834 9,747 9,751 9,273 9,433 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 29,584 29,008 29,061 25,601 25,751 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) 21,836 21,799 18,917 18,958 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 39,510 39,486 39,401 38,377 38,374
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