Retail Sales Probably Increased in May: U.S. Economy Preview

Sales at U.S. retailers probably rose in May as an improving job market gave consumers the confidence to shop for automobiles, home furnishings and clothing, economists said before reports this week.

The projected 0.4 percent increase would be the biggest in three months and follows a 0.1 percent gain in April, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 61 economists before June 13 figures from the Commerce Department. Another report this week may show factory production climbed for the first time in three months.