Total retail sales increased 0.3 percent from January to February. Meanwhile, January's sales were revised down from a decline of 0.4 percent to 0.6 percent. Core retail sales increased 0.3 percent from the previous month and 2.2 percent year over year, close to its four-year low of 1.6 percent. Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music sales led the month-over-month increase, gaining 2.5 percent, followed by nonstore (online) retail increasing 1.3 percent and sales in health and personal care increasing 1.2 percent.
