U.S. Retail Sales Stay Down

U.S. retail sales recorded their smallest gain in six months in August as consumers cut back on purchases of motor vehicles and clothing, but upward revisions to July data likely keep intact expectations of strong economic growth in the third quarter. Reuters reports other data on Friday showed the biggest drop in import prices in more than 1-1/2 years in August amid a decline in the cost of fuels and a range of other goods.