The Commerce Department releases retail sales data for May. The report will come out at 8:30 a.m. EDT Thursday. SALES UP: The forecast is that retail sales increased 0.4 percent in May, according to a survey of economists by data firm FactSet. RECENT SPENDING: In April, retail sales growth slowed to a tiny gain of 0.1 percent after surging 1.5 percent in March, signaling a rebound from months of harsh winter storms. Economists believe stronger sales in May, compared with April, would suggest that the U.S. is shaking off that sharp winter downturn and is headed for stronger growth. The overall economy actually shrank ... (full story)