**[Analysis: U.S. September Retail Sales Growth Rate Falls Short of Expectations]** BlockBeats News, November 25 – The growth in U.S. retail sales for September fell short of expectations, taking a breather after a period of strong consecutive increases. Data released on Tuesday showed that retail sales rose 0.2% month-on-month, compared to an unrevised 0.6% increase in August. Economists surveyed had previously predicted a 0.4% increase in retail sales for the month. Sales had accelerated in previous months, partly due to consumers rushing to purchase electric vehicles before tax credits expired at the end of September. The slowdown in sales is unlikely to alter economists' expectations of a rebound in consumer spending for the third quarter. Retail sales excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials, and food services fell by 0.1% in September, while August's retail sales were revised down to a 0.6% increase. These so-called core retail sales align most closely with the consumer spending component of GDP. However, current consumption is primarily driven by high-income households, while many middle- and low-income consumers are bearing the pressure of rising costs—partly due to import tariffs—creating what economists refer to as a K-shaped economy. (Jin10)