Retail Sales Unexpectedly Decline, Huge Negative Revisions in June and July: Reflections on “Bizarre” Sales Reports

The Census Bureau Advance Retail Trade report shows retail sales unexpectedly fell 0.2% in in August. More importantly, the Census Bureau revised July from plus 0.6% to plus 0.3%. On top of that, the census bureau revised June from +0.3 to -0.1.