Retail sales fell 0.5% in February, indicating the consumer sector was slowing even before the coronavirus struck with force in the United States.
The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the February drop in sales followed a solid 0.6% gain in January.
The February decline came from weakness in a number of areas including a 0.9% fall in auto sales and a 2.8% drop at gasoline stations, a decline that reflected falling gas prices.