Declines in January and December are sharper than previously reported By Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Sales at U.S. retailers rose in February for the first time in three months as shoppers boosted purchases of a variety of goods after being cooped up by one of the harshest winters in years. Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% last month, the Commerce Department said . Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast retail sales to increase by 0.2%. The bounce back in sales last month partly but not entirely offsets declines in January and December, which turned out to be sharper than previously reported. The sales drop in January was revised to a 0.6% from 0.4% and the decline in December was lowered to 0.3% from 0.1%. And over the past 12 months, U.S. retail sales have only risen by a scant 1.2%. Retail sales account for about one-third of consumer spending, the main engine of economic growth. Unless consumers spend more, the economy can’t grow much faster. The increase in sales in February was broad based. Sales at auto dealers, Internet retailers, clothing and sporting goods stores rebounded after steep declines in the prior month. Sales also rose at furniture stores, department stores, and bars and restaurants. Sales fell at electronics and appliance stores, groceries and general department stores. Sales at gas stations rose just 0.1% as fuel costs remained little changed. Excluding the large auto sector, retail sales rose 0.3%. The auto sector generates about one-fifth of all retail spending. Jeffry Bartash is a reporter for MarketWatch in Washington.

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