Sales at U.S. Retailers Advance by Most in Five Months

Sales at U.S. retailers climbed twice as much as forecast in February, showing improving job prospects are helping consumers and the economy overcome higher taxes and gasoline prices.

Purchases jumped 1.1 percent, exceeding all projections in a Bloomberg survey of economists and the biggest gain in five months, according to Commerce Department figures issued today in Washington. Another report showed companies boosted inventories in January to gear up for the pickup in demand.