The Census Bureau's Advance Retail Sales Report for September showed consumer spending was lower than expected, with headline sales rising 0.2% versus the expected 0.4% monthly growth. This is down from August's 0.6% growth and marks the fourth consecutive monthly increase in headline sales. For an inflation-adjusted perspective on retail sales, take a look at our Real Retail Sales commentary. Monthly retail sales have been above the light purple and blue line since March 2021, signaling increased consum ...