Retail sales up solidly in October as Americans showed continued willingness to spend

Retail purchases rose 0.4% from September to October, the Commerce Department said Friday, a solid increase though less than the previous month's robust 0.8% gain. Auto dealers, restaurants and electronics stores all reported higher sales.

Last month's rise in retail purchases suggests that the economy is growing briskly again in the current October-December quarter, after having expanded at a sturdy 2.8% annual rate in the previous quarter. Since peaking at 9.1% more than two years ago, inflation has sunk to near-optimal levels. And Americans' take-home pay, on average, has surpassed inflation for about 18 months.

Still, the post-pandemic inflation spike has left prices about 20% higher than they were three years ago and dimmed Americans' outlook on the economy. That was a key reason why Donald Trump was able to capitalize on public discontent with the Biden-Harris administration and recapture the White House in last week's election.

The manager of a small hotel in northern Italy refused a reservation made by an Israeli couple, accusing Israeli people of being ''responsible for genocide.'' Jewish groups decried the incident as an example of antisemitism.