[black friday thrift store shoppers low-income]John Moore/Getty The economic indicator we waited for all week did not disappoint. Retail sales rose 1.3% in April according to the Commerce Department, trouncing forecasts. Bespoke Investment noted that this was the biggest beat on sales relative to expectations in over three years. The rebound in sales was the biggest in a year. Retail sales fell 0.3% in March, and last month's rise reflected a jump in auto sales and slightly higher gas prices. Excluding autos, sales rose 0.8%, and 0.6% excluding auto and gas sales. The retail sales control group, which feeds into gross-domestic-product calculations, rose 0.9%. Economists had forecast that sales rose 0.8% month-on-month, according to Bloomberg. Excluding auto sales, they forecast a 0.5% rise, and 0.3% excluding autos and gas. The retail sales control group was expected to gain 0.4%. Sales at home improvement stores fell, and marked the only major category that declined. After a dismal week for retail-sector earnings, this report gains even more significance. Shares of Macy's, Gap, Nordstrom, JC Penney and others tanked after their quarterly results showed they are still facing headwinds from online shopping to changing consumer tastes. In April, sales at non-store retailers like Amazon jumped 2.1%. At department stores, they were flat. Economists are also using the data as a proxy for consumer spending, to gauge whether this critical driver of the US economy will continue to sustain growth in the second quarter. Right now, that's the case. Refresh this page for updates. NOW WATCH: FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy
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