In May 2010, the U.S. department store sales valued $15.4 billion, dropping by 2.8 percent year-on-year, reports say. Also, in the said month, retail trade sales increased by 7.4 percent and total retail and food sales jumped up 6.9 percent year-on-year to $362.5 billion, reports add. %% The figures reflect a cautious consumer attitude although alongwith the signs of recovery. May sales were not as good as the previous months in the year, but it depicted a steadiness in the economy. Retail industry sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurant sales) rose 2.7 percent unadjusted compared with one year earlier, although this figure dipped by 1.4 percent against the April 2010 figures, reports say.