Retail sales climb despite rising prices, supply issues

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans continued to spend at a solid clip in September even while facing sticker shock in grocery aisles, car lots and restaurants as snarled global supply chains slow the flow of goods. Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in September from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Friday. While that was a bigger number than economists had expected, concerns are mounting as to how resilient shoppers will be as they head into the crucial holiday season, should rising prices stick and frustrations grow amid short supplies. Right now, however, there is no evidence that Americans are pulling back, and the spending last month was broad-based from clothing retailers to sporting goods and hobby retailers and auto dealers.