US Retail Sales Rise Slightly

 　　U.S. retail¹ sales grew more slowly in October, giving a moderate boost to the consumer spending segment that drives most U.S. economic activity.

　　Tuesday's report from the Commerce Department says the gain was one-half of a percent in October, which is less than the previous month.

　　Consumers have been spending more on electronics, appliances, hardware, and building supplies.

　　Spending has been restrained by slow growth and high unemployment, which has been at 9 percent or worse for the past two years.

　　A separate report showed U.S. inflation eased a bit in October, as wholesale² prices fell three-tenths of one percent.

1 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

2 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。