Retail sales increased 1.4% in October, the Commerce Department said Monday.
The increase followed a revised 2.3% drop in September. Economists had forecast October sales would rise 0.9%, Bloomberg reported.
Purchases excluding automobiles rose 0.2% after a 0.4% gain in September, while sales at auto and parts stores jumped 7.4% after a 14% plunge.
Almost all trucking operations depend on the health of retail sales because such sales involve nearly every type of cargo.
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