Monthly Retail Sales -- January 1997 to March 1998


(in millions of dollars, not adjusted)
SIC KIND OF BUSINESS JAN 1997 FEB MAR APR 1st Qtr 1997 JAN 1998 FEB MAR APR %change Mar-Apr 98 1st Qtr 1998 %change Apr 97-98
RETAIL SALES, TOTAL 187,710 185,182 211,725 206,666 584,617 194,449 191,274 216,181 221,169 0.023 601,904 0.07
DURABLE GOODS, TOTAL 75,290 76,622 88,108 88,203 240,020 79,575 79,948 92,819 95,113 0.025 252,342 0.078
52 BUILDING MATERIALS GROUP 9,213 9,245 11,568 13,503 30,026 10,076 10,044 12,676 14,883 0.174 32,796 0.102
55 EX 554 AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 46,045 47,822 55,303 53,906 149,170 47,397 48,606 57,545 57,883 0.006 153,548 0.074
57 FURNITURE GROUP 10,793 10,314 11,380 11,045 32,487 12,237 11,503 12,421 11,811 -0.049 36,161 0.069
NONDURABLE GOODS, TOTAL 112,420 108,560 123,617 118,464 344,597 114,874 111,326 123,362 126,056 0.022 349,562 0.064
53 GENERAL MERCHANDISE GROUP 20,852 21,422 25,545 24,328 67,819 22,077 22,977 26,027 27,581 0.06 71,081 0.134
54 FOOD GROUP STORES 4,940 32,165 36,219 34,335 103,324 35,464 32,574 35,583 36,183 0.017 103,621 0.054
56 APPAREL & ACCESSORY STORES 7,015 7,265 9,445 8,675 23,725 7,479 7,748 9,327 10,132 0.086 24,554 0.168
58 EATING AND DRINKING PLACES 17,962 17,697 19,764 19,479 55,423 18,563 18,255 20,293 20,210 -0.004 57,111 0.038
Source: Monthly Retail Surveys Branch, U.S. Bureau of the Census, June 30, 1998

Source:        Monthly Retail Surveys Branch, U.S. Bureau of the Census

Prepared by:   The Pennsylvania State Data Center, Penn State Harrisburg