Consumers Stick to the Basics

News of the economy's turnaround — albeit slow — may have proven to be premature, as April's retail sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) decreased 0.4 percent from March and 1.7 percent from last April, according to the National Retail Federation. These numbers reflect the growing trend among consumers of cutting back discretionary spending. Here are some more figures included in the NRF's report: