The April 2010 Retail Sales report is out. Retail Sales increased 0.4% from March 2010. Since last year, retail sales are up 8.8% and for the last three months, average, retail sales are up 7.3%.

Looks like the entire thing is about gasoline on the yr-to-yr increases.

Retail trade sales were up 0.5 percent (±0.5%)* from March 2010 and 9.6 percent (±0.7%) above last year. Gasoline stations sales were up 30.1 percent (±1.5%) from April 2009 and motor vehicle and parts dealers sales were up 15.1 percent (±2.5%) from last year.

Deems there is nothing better than a severe recession to destroy demand for gas, including trading in fuel efficient vehicles. This month there was a 6.9% rise in building materials, garden and supplies. Gas only rose 0.5% for the month. Hobby, sports, music were down -1.9% for the month, which might imply a slow down on spending in things not absolutely necessary, or people are just out in their gardens planting stuff and put their money there.

The below graph is retail sales excluding autos: