People carrying shopping bags walk past a shop on the Fifth Avenue in New York, the United States, Nov. 16, 2009. Retail sales in the U.S. rose 1.4 percent in October, much better than a gain of 1.0 percent economists had expected, the Commerce Department reported Monday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Retail sales in the United States rose 1.4 percent in October, much better than a gain of 1.0percent economists had expected, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

    Last month, auto sales jumped 7.4 percent, while excluding autos, the retail sales in October would rise just 0.2 percent, the weakest showing since a 0.5 percent drop in July.

    Meanwhile, the filing station sales were flat, but excluding gasoline and auto sales, other retailers sales increased 0.3 percent last month, the third consecutive gain.

    Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of economic activity, is the broad measure of U.S. economic activity.

A woman carrying shopping bags walks past a shop on the Fifth Avenue in New York, the United States, Nov. 16, 2009. Retail sales in the U.S. rose 1.4 percent in October, much better than a gain of 1.0 percent economists had expected, the Commerce Department reported Monday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery>>>

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