Advance Retail Sales: Excluding Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers
RETAILLatest Value
Date: 2026-06-01
Data Count
414recordsData from FRED source
Basic Info
Country: US
Frequency: Monthly
Source: FRED
Next Release
08/12 21:30 JSTPeriod: Jul
Trend Chart (Line)
Historical Trend Data
| Date | Value (Million USD) | MoM (Change) | YoY (Change) | 3-Month MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | 666,056 | +0.50% | +6.71% | 661,641 |
| 2026-05-01 | 662,752 | +1.01% | +7.24% | 657,302.33 |
| 2026-04-01 | 656,115 | +0.47% | +5.21% | 650,064.33 |
| 2026-03-01 | 653,040 | +1.87% | +4.42% | 643,009 |
| 2026-02-01 | 641,038 | +0.96% | +3.96% | 636,939 |
| 2026-01-01 | 634,949 | +0.02% | +3.22% | 634,752 |
| 2025-12-01 | 634,830 | +0.06% | +2.11% | 633,551 |
| 2025-11-01 | 634,477 | +0.50% | +2.94% | 632,739.33 |
| 2025-10-01 | 631,346 | -0.17% | +3.03% | 631,963.33 |
| 2025-09-01 | 632,395 | +0.04% | +3.88% | 631,097 |
About Indicator
Explanation
What is Retail Sales (RETAIL)?
Retail Sales measures the total sales value at retail stores, department stores, and online merchants in the US. It directly tracks the momentum of consumer spending.
Viewpoints on this Indicator
The month-over-month (MoM) percentage change is closely monitored. Because it tracks nominal dollars, high inflation can inflate sales figures. Therefore, it must be compared to CPI to measure real consumption growth.
Importance
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Deep Dive
Personal consumption drives roughly 70% of US GDP. Retail Sales represents about one-third of this consumption (with the rest going to service spending like rent and healthcare). A high figure indicates active consumer demand and a robust economy.
Consistently strong retail sales ease recession fears but raise inflation concerns, potentially causing the Fed to delay interest rate cuts. This can lead to higher bond yields, a stronger dollar, and short-term pressure on equities.
A weak retail sales print raises concerns about economic growth. However, it can also spark rate-cut hopes, temporarily supporting stock prices. If the figure drops too sharply, investors will worry about recession-driven corporate profit drops, causing stocks to fall.
Key Checkpoints in Data
Key Checkpoints
- Whether the overall MoM sales beat market forecasts.
- If Core Retail Sales (excluding autos and gasoline) remains robust.
- Whether sales growth outpaces the consumer inflation rate (CPI).
- If online sales are continuing to expand their share of the retail mix.
- If temporary seasonal fluctuations (like Black Friday) are skewing the numbers.
Connection with Associated Indicators
Why Look at Associated Indicators Together
| Associated Indicator | Why to Look Together |
|---|---|
| Consumer Price Index (CPI) | To check if the sales growth represents actual volume growth rather than just price increases. |
| Average Hourly Earnings | To confirm if wage increases are providing the purchasing power to support retail spending. |
One-Line Summary for Beginners
Retail Sales measures the momentum of consumer spending in the US. Strong sales point to a healthy economy but can prevent interest rates from falling.
Last Fetched: 7/17/2026, 3:21:31 AM
Flow of Analysis: US Consumer Price Index (CPI)
🔍1. Before (Leading)
Check these leading indicators a few days before to gauge expectations.
📊2. During (Core Values)
Check the headline and core figures at the moment of release.
⚡3. After (Market Reactions)
Track reactions in yields, currencies, and major stock indexes.