A report released on Tuesday by the U.S. Commerce Department suggests that retail sales continue to grow as consumers grow more confident in the economic recovery, employment and their own financial standings.

Overall, sales were up by 0.1 percent, following a 0.7 percent gain in March. While April marked the smallest rise of the year thus far, this still bodes well for the retail sector, which continues to make a fast recovery from the economic recession that continues to grip many other industries.

Key retail segments included furniture and electronics, with big-ticket items generating a significant increase in retail sales. Meanwhile, Americans also spent more money at bars and restaurants, which is typically a sign of a recovering economy.

Mild winter weather and an early Easter are two of the biggest factors for the slow sales growth in April, experts suggest. Many consumers did their spring shopping in February because of warm temperatures, while Easter fell on April 8th, meaning many consumers did their shopping in March during the weeks leading up to the holiday.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 at 9:39 am .