NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee's sales tax revenues grew 6.5 percent in the first quarter of the budget year, and general fund collections have come in at $57 million above projections.

Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes in a release Wednesday called the sales tax growth the "best indicator of economic recovery." But he cautioned that national economic indicators and uncertainty over federal budget pressures point to a slow recovery.

Sales taxes account for nearly two out of every three dollars collected for the state's general fund. October sales tax collections, which reflect economic activity in the previous month, came in at nearly $16 million above projections.

Corporate franchise and excise taxes beat estimates by $25 million.