, Columnist
Retailers Can't Blame Consumers Any More
People are still spending, just differently.
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The truth hurts.
U.S. retail sales in September and October rose at the fastest pace in two years, according to government data for October and revised data for September, both released Tuesday. The news contradicts a rash of retail and restaurant CEOs who have been blaming their poor sales on the presidential election, saying it has hammered consumer confidence and distracted would-be shoppers and diners.