Retail sales in the United States increased by 0.6% in September, helped by a rise in car sales.
The Commerce Department said sales rose for the third month in a row, with a 1.6% rise in vehicle sales leading the increase.
Excluding car sales, retail sales rose 0.4%, in line with expectations.
The BBC reports consumer spending accounts for 70% of economic activity in the US.
Auto sales had their best showing since March, marking a contrast to a 0.5% dip seen in August.
Other sectors that performed well included electronic and appliance stores, where sales rose 1.5%, hardware stores, up 0.6%, and furniture stores, up 0.5%.
