PREVIEW

March Retail Sales Exceeded Expectations. New Commerce Department data surprised some analysts on April 15, 'The Hill' reports. The agency's latest estimates indicate that March retail sales increased by 0.7%. They were only expected to rise 0.3% last month. While sales exceeded estimates for March, the jump was still below the 0.9% increase in February. Compared to the same time last year, total sales for the first three months of 2024 were up 2.1%. On April 10, the Labor Department released data showing that inflation rose last month. The consumer price index (CPI) increased 0.4% in March and 3.5% annually. In February, consumer prices increased 3.2% year-over-year. Still, the newest Commerce Department data suggests that Americans continue to spend despite prolonged inflation, 'The Hill' reports. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT