Sales at U.S. retailers fell 0.3% in August and declined for the first time in five months, as store traffic dropped off for almost all stores except grocers and clothing outlets. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast a 0.1% decline. Retail sales have zig-zagged for months but are weaker compared to a few years ago. Some segments such as online shopping have been doing great while more traditional sellers such as department stores have fared poorly. In August, hardly any retail segments did well. Receipts at auto dealers slipped 0.9% in a disappointing month that spurred some industry leaders to predict ... (full story)