WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales unexpectedly rose in August as a decline in receipts at auto dealerships was more than offset by strength in online purchases, suggesting that the economy remained on solid footing through much of the third quarter.

Sales at retailers rose slightly in August in a sign of resilience among U.S. households, suggesting the U.S. economy is still on solid footing as the Federal Reserve plots to cut interest rates.

LONDON (Reuters) -British retail sales rose by a stronger-than-expected 1% in August and growth in July was revised up, official figures showed on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a monthly rise of 0.