US sales increases driving economy

US retail sales excluding cars rose in September following an August rise that was almost twice as much as reported a month earlier, the government said.

The gain was the fifth straight and suggests consumer spending helped the economy grow in the third quarter at the fastest pace in almost four years.

Purchases at the nation’s retailers, excluding car dealers, increased 0.3% last month to $244 billion, following a 1.2% gain in August, the Commerce Department said in Washington.