Autos, E-Commerce Offer Only Bright Spots in July Retail Sales – Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—U.S. retail sales were flat in July, a potential stumbling block for an economy that has relied on healthy consumer spending to propel growth.

Sales at retailers and restaurants held roughly steady at a seasonally adjusted $457.73 billion last month, the Commerce Department said Friday. Sales had climbed 0.8% in June, revised up from…