Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Sales at U.S. retailers fell less than anticipated in September, a sign households will play a greater role in the emerging economic recovery.
The 1.5 percent decrease in purchases followed a 2.2 percent gain the prior month, figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington. Sales excluding automobiles climbed 0.5 percent, more than the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.
The broad-based improvement indicates Americans are becoming more confident that the economy is recovering even as job losses persist. The report helps ease concern consumers will retrench as government stimulus, such as the
