Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

The report by the Commerce Department that retail sales exploded far beyond what analysts thought they would, caught most people by surprise. The increase of 1.4 percent is double the expected, moderate 0.7 percent. In April retail sales had fallen by 0.1 percent.

This is good news as the increase in gas prices prompted most to think that consumers would ease up on their pocket books. Many were concerned that consumers would tighten up on spending, not only because of gas prices, but because of increases in interest rates and the overall housing slowdown.

Auto dealers did surprisingly very well ... along with specialty clothing stores, hardware and department stores.

Sales at hardware stores were up by 2.1 percent, while sporting goods and stores and auto and auto parts sales increased by 1.8 percent. The auto and auto parts sales were the best in about a year.

General merchandise stores increases sales by 1 percent and department stores by 1.3 percent. That was their strongest growth in 19 months.

The high-end clothing stores increased sales by a whopping 2.7 percent; something they really needed after April's drop of 1.5 percent.

This is the largest increase in one-month sales since the 3.3 percent experience in January 2006. It looks like this is going to be a much better summer season than most believed. Couple that with the healthy tourism industry and it's really good news for the U.S. economy.