Higher gas prices boost US retail sales

Rising costs for gasoline caused US retail sales to grow in February, according to government data released Wednesday, though the expansion was slightly below expectations.

Retail sales rose 0.3 per cent last month, the Commerce Department said, less than January's 4.9 per cent increase, which was revised up sharply from the 3.8 per cent initially reported.

Much of February's spending increase was caused by business at gas stations, where sales rose 5.3 per cent, the biggest gain in any category.