Solid Auto Sales Drive U.S. Retail Sales

In February retail sales rose, with auto sales rising more than 25% from the same month last year.

The Commerce Department said retail and food services sales rose 1% from January, to their highest levels since October.

Economists had expected sales to rise 0.7%.

The numbers came a month after severe snow storms gripped large parts of the country, and after solid gains in the final quarter of 2010.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2011