By Glenn Somerville 1 hour, 14 minutes ago WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retail sales fell for a second month in a row in August, the government said on Friday, raising fears that faltering consumer spending was heightening the chances of a recession.However, a sharp retreat in energy costs pulled wholesale prices down in August by the largest amount in almost two years and consumer sentiment hit an eight-month high this month as Americans breathed a sigh of relief as gasoline prices fell.
The Reuters/University of Michigan survey of consumer confidence jumped to 73.1 in September, its strongest since January, from 63 in August. That was well above analysts' expectations and likely reflected cheaper gasoline prices.
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