Retail sales grew by 5.4% in August from a year ago, the fastest since the January-February period this year. August retail sales topped a Reuters forecast for 3.5% growth. Retail sales posted the biggest surprise, boosted by passenger car sales and helped by comparison to low growth last August. Industrial production rose by 4.2% from year earlier, beating the 3.8% forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts. The unemployment rate for young people ages 16 to 24 edged lower to 18.7% in the prior month.Read Long Article
