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. source: U.S. Census Bureau

Retail Sales in the United States increased 0.90 percent in May of 2026 over the previous month. Retail Sales MoM in the United States averaged 0.39 percent from 1992 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 19.30 percent in May of 2020 and a record low of -14.40 percent in April of 2020. This page provides - U.S. December Retail Sales Increased More Than Forecast - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. US Retail Sales - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on July of 2026.

Retail Sales in the United States increased 0.90 percent in May of 2026 over the previous month. Retail Sales MoM in the United States is expected to be 0.30 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the US Retail Sales is projected to trend around 0.70 percent in 2027 and 0.50 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-14 12:30 PM
Retail Sales MoM
Apr 0.5% 1.6% 0.5% 0.4%
2026-06-17 12:30 PM
Retail Sales MoM
May 0.9% 0.4% 0.5% 0.6%
2026-07-16 12:30 PM
Retail Sales MoM
Jun 0.9% 0.3%



Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Retail Sales Building and Garden Supply Stores MoM 0.00 0.20 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Car Dealers MoM 1.20 -0.90 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Clothing Stores MoM 0.30 -0.60 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Electronics Stores MoM -0.50 1.40 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Ex Autos MoM 0.80 0.70 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Ex Gas MoM 0.70 0.20 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Ex Gas/Autos MoM 0.50 0.50 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Food and Beverage Stores MoM 0.00 0.70 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Furniture Stores MoM 1.00 -1.50 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Gasoline Stations MoM 3.40 2.40 percent May 2026
Retail Sales General Merchandise Stores MoM 0.40 -0.10 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Health and Personal Care Stores MoM 0.60 0.00 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Miscellaneous Store Retailers MoM 2.30 -0.70 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Online Trade MoM 1.50 1.10 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Restaurants and Bars MoM -0.10 0.90 percent May 2026
Retail Sales Sporting Goods and Hobby Stores MoM 0.30 1.70 percent May 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Chain Store Sales 3391.00 3131.00 USD Million May 2026
Retail Sales Control Group MoM 0.70 0.50 percent May 2026
Retail Sales MoM 0.90 0.40 percent May 2026
Retail Sales YoY 6.90 4.80 percent May 2026


US Retail Sales
Retail sales report in the US provides aggregated measure of sales of retail goods and services over a period of a month. There are thirteen major types of retailers: Motor vehicle & parts dealers (20% of total sales), Nonstore retailers (17%), Food services & drinking places (14%), Food & beverage stores (12%), General merchandise stores (10%), Gasoline stations (7%), Building material & garden equipment dealers (6%), Health & personal care stores (5%), Clothing & clothing accessories stores (3%), Miscellaneous store retailers (2%), Furniture & home furnishings stores (2%), Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument & book stores (1%), and Electronics & appliance stores (1%).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
0.90 0.40 19.30 -14.40 1992 - 2026 percent Monthly
Current Prices, SA

News Stream
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.
2026-06-17
US Retail Sales Rise as Expected 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%.
2026-05-14
US Retail Sales Rise by Most in a Year
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%.
2026-04-21