US Retail Sales Above Expectations on Higher Gas Prices

Retail sales in the US increased 0.8% month-over-month in September 2026, following an upwardly revised 1.3% rise in August and well above forecasts of a 0.3% gain. Sales at gasoline stations soared 6.4% due to higher prices. Retail sales data is not adjusted for inflation. Excluding gas, retail sales were up 0.2% only. Other increases were also seen at furniture stores (1.3%), food services & drinking places (1.1%), health & personal care (0.7%), electronics & appliances (0.6%), food & beverages (0.4%), nonstore retailers (0.3%), and motor vehicle dealers (0.2%). On the other hand, sales stalled at clothing stores and fell at miscellaneous store retailers (-3%), building materials & garden equipment (-0.6%), sporting goods, musical instruments & books (-0.5%) and general merchandise stores (-0.1%). Meanwhile, sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations, which are used to calculate GDP, were up 0.1%, following a 1.2% rise in August.

Retail sales in the US increased 1.2% month-over-month in August 2026, the most in five months, following a revised 0.5% fall in July which was the first decline since October 2025, and compared to forecasts of a 0.8% gain. Sales at gasoline stations recorded the biggest increase (3.1%), followed by nonstore retailers (2.6%); miscellaneous store retailers (1.9%); electronics & appliance stores (1.6%); food services & drinking places (1.2%); sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument & book stores (1.2%); furniture (0.9%); clothing (0.7%); general merchandise stores (0.7%); motor vehicles && parts (0.6%); and food & beverages stores (0.4%). In contrast, sales declined at building material & garden equipment stores (-0.2%). The data is not adjusted for inflation. Sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations, which are used to calculate GDP, jumped 1.4%, much higher than forecasts of 0.4%.

US retail sales fell 0.6% month-on-month in July 2026, sharply missing expectations for a 0.1% rise and reversing June’s 0.2% gain. It was the first decline since October 2025 and the biggest since May last year, driven by weaker sales at nonstore retailers (-2.2%), likely reflecting spending pulled forward into June after Amazon moved its Prime Day event from July to June this year. Also, sales fell at motor vehicle & parts dealers (-1.8%), gasoline stations (-0.9%) and electronics & appliance stores (-0.5%). The data is not adjusted for inflation. Excluding autos and gasoline, sales fell 0.2%. Increases were seen in sales at clothing & clothing accessories stores (1.9%), health & personal care stores (0.7%), building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers (0.3%), and furniture & home furn. stores (0.3%). Sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations, which are used to calculate GDP, were down 0.4%, the most since the start of 2025.