US Retail Sales Reveal Surprise Increase in September Despite Ongoing Supply Shortages

A customer pushes her shopping cart at a Walmart store in the Porter Ranch section of Los Angeles on Nov. 26, 2013. Kevork Djansezian/Reuters

American retail sales rose unexpectedly in September amid ongoing supply chain shortages, raising concerns as the nation nears the holiday shopping season.

The U.S Census Bureau announced Friday a 0.7 percent increase from August. The July–August increase was also revised up to 0.9 percent instead of the 0.7 percent earlier reported (pdf).