Retail sales rose 0.4% in September, better than expected; jobless claims dip

Consumer spending held up in September, underscoring a resilient economy that is now getting a boost from the Federal Reserve, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

increased a seasonally adjusted 0.4% on the month, up from the unrevised 0.1% gain in August and better than the 0.3% Dow Jones forecast, according to the advance report.

Excluding autos, sales accelerated 0.5%, better than the forecast for just a 0.1% rise. The…