The Commerce Department announced on Tuesday the sales at U.S. retailers rose 0.4 percent m-o-m in June, following a revised 0.4 percent m-o-m advance in May (originally a gain of 0.5 percent m-o-m), supported by higher purchases of motor vehicles and a variety of other goods.

Economists had expected total sales would increase 0.1 percent m-o-m in June.

Excluding auto, retail sales also increased 0.4 percent m-o-m in June after a revised 0.4 percent m-o-m advance in the previous month (originally an advance of 0.5 percent m-o-m), exceeding economists’ forecast for a 0.1 percent m-o-m uptick.

Meanwhile, closely watched core retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, and are used in GDP calculations, advanced 0.7 percent m-o-m in June after an upwardly revised 0.6 percent m-o-m rise in May (originally an increase of 0.4 percent m-o-m).

In y-o-y terms, the U.S. retail sales surged 3.4 percent in June, accelerating from a revised +2.9 percent in the previous month (originally +3.2 percent).