Sales at U.S. retailers picked up in May, a sign households are finally willing to put the gains from continued job growth and lower fuel prices to work. The 1.2 percent increase matched the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and followed a 0.2 percent advance in April, Commerce Department figures showed Thursday in Washington. The gain was broad-based with 11 of 13 major categories gaining. The data show American consumers are ready to spend on more than just automobiles, unlocking months of savings from cheap gasoline and higher incomes as the labor market improves. A pickup in purchases -- ... (full story)