Declining US Retail Sales br Stoke Fears About Economy.br Retail spending weakened br by 0.3 percent in September. br It is the first fall in retail sales br in seven months.br Economists had predicted that br September's retail numbers would rise.br Weaker retail numbers provide further evidence that weakness br in the manufacturing sector is br spilling over into other areas of br the economy, Jim Baird, CIO Plante Moran Financial Advisors, via Reuters.br Spending decreased online br for motor vehicles, hobbies br and building materials.br A 15-month trade war between br the U.S. and China — and cooling br job growth — are also thought to have br contributed to the September decline.br The numbers could lead the br Federal Reserve to implement more br interest rate cuts when it convenes its br policy meeting at the end of the month.br More than two-thirds of the br U.S.