By Jeffry Bartash
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in September, as spending rose for every segment except department stores, the Commerce Department said Monday. Excluding autos, which can have an outsized impact on the report, retail sales also rose 1.1%. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expected retail sales to rise by 0.9% last month, or by 0.8% minus autos. In addition, the government revised sales figures for August and July to show somewhat higher spending. Retail sales climbed 1.2% in August - the fastest rate in almost two years - instead of 0.9% as previously reported. And the increase in July sales was revised up to 0.7% from 0.6%. The biggest increase in sales in September took place among stores that sell electronics and appliances, likely boosted by the release of the new iPhone. Sales in that category leaped 4.5%, the biggest increase since October 2011. Gasoline-station sales rose 2.5% and auto sales increased 1.3%.
