ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL
SALES SUMMARY--MAY 1997

Intention To Revise Estimates

We are changing the sample base and the sample design for the survey that produces the preliminary and final monthly retail sales estimates. The seasonally adjusted May, April, and March 1997 estimates along with the May and April 1996 estimates will be revised the week of June 23. The not seasonally adjusted May and April 1997 estimates will also be revised.

The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for May adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $210.3 billion, a decrease of 0.1 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month but up 3.0 percent (+/-0.9%) from May 1996. Total sales for the March through May period were 4.1 percent (+/-0.5%) above the same period a year ago. The March to April 1997 percent change was revised from -0.3 percent (+/-0.7%) to -0.9 (+/-0.5%).

Durable goods decreased 0.3 percent (+/-1.3%) from April but were 3.1 percent above May 1996.

Nondurable goods were unchanged (+/-0.6%) from last month but were 3.0 percent above last year.

The advance estimates are based on a small subsample of the Bureau's full retail sales sample. Estimates from the advance and the subsequent full survey can differ because of the earlier reporting in the advance and because of sampling variability present in both surveys.

						Percent Changes-X
					May 1997 	Apr 1997
					adv. from 	prel. from
					Apr May 	Mar Apr
					'97 '96 	'97 '96
					prel. final 	final final

Retail trade, total			-0.1 +3.0	-0.9 +4.0
 Total, excl. auto.			-0.1 +3.2	-0.5 +3.7
Durable goods, total			-0.3 +3.1	-1.2 +5.4
 Building materials, hardware,
 garden supply, and mobile
 home dealers				-0.6 +7.2	-0.3 +8.6
Automotive dealers			-0.2 +2.6	-2.0 +5.0
  Motor vehicle and misc.
 automotive dealers			-0.3 +3.0	-2.0 +5.5
 Furniture, home furnishings
 and equipment stores 			+0.6 +4.3 	+0.8 +4.2
Nondurable goods, total 		 0.0 +3.0	-0.6 +3.1
 Gen. merch. stores 			+0.7 +4.4	-1.0 +3.8
   Dept. stores excl. leased depts. 	+0.7 +5.1	-1.2 +4.3
   incl. leased depts. 			 N/A  N/A	-1.1 +4.6
 Food stores 				+0.2 +2.9	-0.6 +2.5
 Grocery stores 			+0.1 +2.6	-0.5 +2.2
 Gasoline service stations		-0.7 -1.9       -1.3 +0.4
 Apparel and
 accessory stores 			+0.8 +0.4	-0.5 -0.6
 Eating and drinking places		-1.0 +1.2	-1.3 +2.1
Drug and proprietary stores 		+0.2 +8.2	-0.6 +9.2

X--Adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences.
N/A--Not available.

June 12, 1997
U.S. Department of Commerce

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