The disappointing run of US data has continued with today’s retail sales numbers for September, which posted the first decline for seven months. Rather than rise 0.3% month-on-month as expected, they actually contracted 0.3% with the report showing broad-based weakness. Just five of the 13 major categories within the report experienced an increase, namely furniture, health, clothing, miscellaneous and eating/drinking. Motor vehicles/parts fell 0.9%, gasoline stations sales fell 0.7%, building materials fell 1% and department store sales fell 1.4% (-7.3% year-on-year). Stripping out the volatile components we find ... (full story)