Unseasonably warm weather in February and March and an early Easter holiday shifted consumers’ spending appetite last month, though retailers in April still reported positive but modest growth. According to the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, April retail sales (excluding automobile, gas stations and restaurants) decreased 0.1 percent seasonally adjusted from March and increased 2.8 percent unadjusted year-over-year, marking 22 consecutive months of retail sales growth.
