Retail sales in the U.S. rose less than forecast in April as shoppers took a breather following the strongest gain in four years. The 0.1 percent increase came after a revised 1.5 percent surge in March that was the biggest since March 2010, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 83 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 0.4 percent advance. Consumers were less inclined to ramp up again after March saw a release of pent-up demand caused by harsh winter weather. At the same time, a pickup in hiring, rising home values and higher April sales at retailers from Gap Inc. ... (full story)