The study also shows a 0.4 percent uptick compared to August on a seasonally-adjusted basis.

September sales were also 4.5 percent greater on a three-month average compared to the same time last year.

The totals exclude gasoline stations, automobiles and restaurants and are pooled from data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the Bureau, September sales–including automobiles, gasoline and restaurants–were up 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted from August, and 4.7 percent above September 2017 sales.

“Retail sales were somewhat softer than expected in September, and some of the weakness can be attributed to Hurricane Florence and geopolitical trade concerns,” says Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist, NRF. “Recent solid wage gains and other fundamentals continue to propel spending, which has been supported by tax cuts, saving and access to credit. Today’s numbers confirm an underlying strength in the industry and a solid trajectory as we go into the fourth quarter.”

Specifics from key retail sectors during September include:

Total retail sales have grown year-over-year every month since November 2009, and retail sales as calculated by NRF–excluding automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants–have increased year-over-year in all but one month since the beginning of 2010.