US Retail Sales Unexpectedly Decline in a sign that consumer economy could be cracking

ECONOMY

Thomas Franck
@TOMWFRANCK
KEY POINTS:
U.S. retail sales fell for the first time in seven months in September.
The report could raise fears that manufacturing-led weakness was spreading to the broader economy.
The U.S. government said retail sales dropped 0.3% as households slashed spending on building materials, online purchases and especially automobiles.