Retail sales increase, consumer prices steady

(May 15, 2012) -- Retail sales rose a modest 0.1 percent in April 2012, slowing from sizeable 0.7 percent and 1.0 percent gains in March and February, respectively, RBC Economics Research reported. Expectations for the April 2012 consumer price index (CPI) report were for weakness in energy prices in the month to offset another modest increase in core prices and leave the overall index unchanged from March.