Mark Whitehouse, Columnist

Maybe We're Buying Too Many Cars

Autos make up a rising share of retail sales. That may not be a good sign.

May 16, 2016 at 11:00 AM UTC

Mark Whitehouse is a member of the editorial board covering global economics and finance. Previously, he reported on economics for the Wall Street Journal and was managing editor of Vedomosti, a Russian-language business daily.

Driving sales.
Photographer: Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg

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U.S. consumers are buying a lot of cars. This might not be a good sign.

April’s strong retail sales report -- which has raised hopes for a broader rebound in consumer spending -- illustrates how much auto dealers have been punching above their weight: They drove more than half of the month’s growth, even though they account for just a fifth of total retail sales.