The data released this evening, Friday, July 16, from the US Department of Commerce, showed an increase in US retail sales better than the market expectations in June, as sales rose by about 0.6% in June, after declining by about 1.7% in the revised May reading, while expectations indicated that it would be recorded. A decline of about 0.4%, core sales, excluding car prices, recorded a strong growth in June by 1.3%, compared to 0.7% recorded in May, better than expectations that indicated a growth of 0.4%.

This increase in sales was supported by the government stimulus in the United States of America, where nine categories rose from 13 categories of retail sales in June.

In details, clothing prices increased by 2.6%, while electronic sales increased by 3.3%, and the restaurants and bars sector recorded a growth of about 2.3%, in contrast sales in the auto and spare parts trade decreased by 2% in June.

The Dollar Index, which measures the performance of the dollar against a basket of currencies, is trading at its highest levels today, Friday, at 92.73, heading to record weekly gains of more than 0.60%.