US Retail Sales Slow as Expected

Retail sales in the US rose 0.2% mom in June 2026, following an upwardly revised 1% rise in May and in line with expectations. It marked the smallest increase in five months, as lower gasoline prices weighed on receipts at gas stations while consumer spending remained resilient in general. The data is not adjusted for inflation. Excluding gasoline, retail sales rose 0.7%. Increases were seen in sales at motor vehicle & part dealers (1.9%), nonstore retailers (1.9%), sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument (1.3%), electronics & appliances (0.8%), building materials (0.1%), general merchandise stores (0.1%) and food & drinking places (0.1%). In contrast, sales flattened at furniture stores and declined 5.3% at gasoline stations. Other decreases were also seen at health (-0.8%), miscellaneous (-0.3%) and food & beverages (-0.2%). Meanwhile, sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations, which are used to calculate GDP, were up 0.5%.

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%.