US retail sales rose 1.3%, last month

WASHINGTON — Americans stepped up their spending at retailers, restaurants, and auto dealers, last month, a sign of consumer resilience as the holiday shopping season begins amid painfully high inflation and rising interest rates. The government said, Wednesday, that retail sales rose 1.3%, in October from September, up from a flat reading, in September from August. The increase was led by car sales and higher gas prices. Still, excluding autos and gas, retail spending rose 0.9%, last month.