The U.S. Census Bureau announced this morning that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May were $387.1 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis. That's down 0.2% from the previous month, and up 7.7 % compared with May 2010.

Total sales for March, April and May were up 7.5% from the same period a year ago.

Looking specifically at NAICS classification 444 -- Building material & garden equipment & supplies dealers -- the adjusted advance estimate for sales in May were $25.017 billion, up 1.2% from last month and up 7.0% from last year. 

The Advance Monthly Sales report also revealed general retail trade sales were down 0.3% from April 2011, but 8.0% above last year. Gasoline stations sales were up 22.3% from May 2010, and nonstore retailers’ sales were up 15.9% from last year.

All the figures above are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes.