By Joseph Pisani
Retail sales fell in May, dragged down by a decline in auto sales and a shift by Americans to spend more on vacations and other services instead of goods.
Total sales dropped a seasonal adjusted 1.3% in May from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday. Wall Street analysts expected a smaller decline of 0.5%.
Economists expected retail sales to drop last month because of the lack of cars available for sale due to a worldwide shortage of chips, which are needed to power in-car screens and other features. Sales at auto dealerships fell 3.7% last month, according to the Commerce Department.
Another reason for the decrease: As more people become vaccinated and head out more, Americans are spending more of their money on haircuts, trips and other services that are not included in Tuesday's report. Sales fell at furniture, electronics and home building stores last month.
“Consumer spending growth through the rest of the year will shift to services from goods,” wrote PNC chief economist Gus Faucher.
Sales at restaurants rose nearly 2%, according to Tuesday's report. And those seeking a new outfit to go out in helped sales at clothing stores rise 3%.
Nestle is reportedly investing $100 million in food delivery startup Wonder Group.
Arturo Béjar testified before a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday about social media and the teen mental health crisis, hoping to shed light on how Meta executives, including Zuckerberg, knew about the harms Instagram was causing but chose not to make meaningful changes to address them.
Nike is suing two of its competitors for alleged patent infringement.
Uber missed analysts' projections for earnings per share and revenue this past quarter. Cheddar News takes a closer look at the numbers and explains what to expect for the rest of the fiscal year.
Cheddar News breaks down some of the top business stories to look out for, including WeWork's bankruptcy filing and fast-fashion retailer Shein reportedly expecting a $90 million valuation upon its market debut. Plus, a new EV truck will have a backup gas generator.
WeWork has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Bumble, the female-focused dating app, announced that Whitney Wolf Hurd, the company's founder and CEO, will step down in January.
WeWork officially has filed for bankruptcy.
With interest rates high, housing inventory low and Veterans Day just around the corner, Cheddar News took a look at how the current market is impacting those who served and continue to serve our country. Patton Gade, national director of military lending with UMortgage, explains how a VA loan works, its benefits and what's involved in the process of purchasing a home.
Stocks were mixed in Tuesday's early session as Wall Street came off a strong rally last week.
