US retail sales: moderate pace in September

US retail sales rose more than expected last month, official data revealed on Friday. The Commerce Department says retail sales rose 0.6% in September, a rebound after sales slipped 0.2% in August. During the first nine months of the year, retail sales have increased 2.9% compared with 2015.

The data on core sales are even more worrying. Excluding automobiles, building materials, food services and gasoline, retail sales advanced 0.5% in September, following August's upwardly revised drop of 0.2% and surpassing the 0.4% rise forecast. The September growth was mainly driven by sales of automobiles, which rose 1.1% in September after falling 0.3% in August. 

The Fed will next meet in November, but analysts don’t expect a rate move just a week before the presidential election.