pecentage point, a tenth straight move that took it to 3.5 percent. Auto sales shot up 6.7 percent last month as Ford and DaimlerChrysler joined General Motors in extending employee discounts to all consumers. It was the biggest gain since flag-flying carmakers put in place zero percent financing deals in October 2001. Gasoline station sales rose 2.4 percent, reflecting higher prices at the pump. The average U.S. retail gasoline price hit $2.33 a gallon in early July, a record high that was broken last week. Excluding both autos and gasoline, retail sales would have been unchanged in July. --more 2104 Local Time 1804 GMT
