Building supplies boost retail sales
Retail sales in August grew nearly 4% over the same month last year, thanks to gains in building supply sales.
Total taxable retail sales in August were $1.68 billion, a 3.9% rise over August 2010, according to the Maine State Planning Office. Building supply sales rose 12.1%, making it the third consecutive month of strong building supply retail sales, though that's likely due in part to last year's drop related to the expiration of homebuyer tax credits. All categories were up or flat compared to last year. Besides building supply sales, other big gains were in auto and transportation sales, which grew 6%, and business operating sales, which rose 5.2%.
Retail sales for the last three months, June through August, are 4% higher than the same three-month period a year ago.
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