U.S. Consumers Return as Retail Sales Jump Most in 2017: Chart

(Bloomberg) -- Americans spent more freely in July, giving a boost to retail sales at the start of the third quarter. Retail sales climbed 0.6 percent last month, the biggest advance this year, after upward revisions in the two prior months, Commerce Department figures showed Tuesday. Auto dealerships and non-store retailers saw the biggest sales increases this year, while receipts at department stores were up by the most in six months.

--With assistance from Shobhana Chandra

To contact the reporter on this story: Sophie Caronello in Washington at scaronello@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Cesca Antonelli at fantonelli@bloomberg.net, Brendan Murray