US Retail Sales Beat Forecasts Again

Retail sales in the US increased 0.9% mom in May 2026, higher than a downwardly revised 0.4% rise in April and above forecasts of 0.5%, signalling a robust consumer spending. Sales increased the most in gasoline stations (3.4%) as gas prices continued to rise due to the war with Iran. The data is not adjusted for inflation. Excluding gas stations, sales rose a firm 0.7%, led by miscellaneous store retailers (2.3%); nonstore retailers (1.5%); autos (1.2%); furniture stores (1%); health (0.6%); general merchandise stores (0.4%); sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument (0.3%); and clothing (0.3%). In contrast, retail sales flattened for building material & garden equipment, food and beverages stores and declined for food services and drinking places (-0.1%) and electronics & appliance stores (-0.5%). Meanwhile, sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations, which are used to calculate GDP, were up 0.7%, following a 0.5% gain in April.

Retail sales in the US increased 0.5% mom in April 2026, following a downwardly revised 1.6% gain in March and in line with forecasts. Sales at gasoline stations recorded the biggest increase (2.8%), as gasoline prices continued to rise due to the war with Iran. Retail sales data is not adjusted for inflation. Excluding gas stations, sales rose 0.3%. Other increases were also seen in sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, & book stores (1.4%); electronics stores (1.4%); nonstore retailers (1.1%); food and beverages (0.8%); food services & drinking places (0.6%); and miscellaneous retailers (0.3%). In contrast, sales fell the most at furniture stores (-2%), followed by clothing (-1.5%) and auto dealers (-0.5%) and were unchanged at health and personal care stores. Meanwhile, sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations, which are used to calculate GDP, also increased 0.5%, following a 0.8% gain in March and above expectations of 0.4%.

US retail sales rose sharply by 1.7% in March 2026, surpassing market expectations of 1.4% and following an upwardly revised 0.7% increase in February. This marks the steepest growth since March 2025, driven largely by a record 15.5% surge in gasoline station receipts as fuel prices spiked amid the escalating conflict with Iran. Despite rising pump prices, consumer spending remained solid across nearly all categories, likely boosted by larger-than-usual tax refunds. Sales increased at motor vehicle and parts dealers (0.5%), furniture and home furnishing stores (2.2%), electronics and appliance stores (0.9%), building material and garden equipment suppliers (0.7%), food and beverage stores (0.7%), health and personal care stores (0.5%), general merchandise stores (1.0%), and nonstore retailers (1.0%). Receipts at restaurants and bars, the only service-sector category in the report, advanced 0.1%. Core retail sales, excluding volatile sectors, climbed 0.7%, exceeding forecasts of 0.2%.