Retails sales in April remained virtually unchanged from March, according to census data released Friday, a significant drop off following the major 10.7 percent surge the previous month, The Hill reported. The figures fell short of the 1 percent rise economists had expected. Retail sales came in at $619.9 billion, slightly higher than March. The March growth in retail sales was fueled by $1,400 stimulus checks, though additional payments have continued to trickle out in April and May. Despite the unexpected stall in growth, the overall figures remained positive, according to Matthew Shay, CEO of the National Retail Federation. The latest figures are significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, which reached $525.8 billion in February of last year, before the pandemic shuttered the economy.
