Retail sales in the US jumped 1.9% month-over-month in September of 2020, following a 0.6% gain in August and beating forecasts of a 0.7% increase. It is the biggest rise in three months, with sales at clothing stores (11%); department stores (9.7%); sporting goods (5.7%); and auto dealers (4% ) recording the highest increases. Sales also went up at food services and drinking places (2.1% ); health and personal care stores (1.7%); gasoline stations (1.5%); miscellaneous store retailers (1.1%); building material and garden equipment (0.6%); nonstore retailers (0.5%); and furniture stores (0.5%). In contrast, sales fell at electronics and appliance stores (-1.6%). Retail sales excluding food services, car dealers, building-materials stores and gasoline stations, the so-called control group sales seen as a more reliable gauge of demand, increased 1.4%. Year-on-year, retail sales went up 5.4%, the strongest annual gain so far in 2020. source: U.S. Census Bureau