Updated: 15-Aug-25 09:41 ET
| July Retail Sales |
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| Updated: 15-Aug-25 09:41 ET |
Highlights
- The July Retail Sales Report was a good report that was made even better by the upward revisions to the prior month's data. Total retail sales increased 0.5% month-over-month, as expected, following an upwardly revised 0.9% increase (from 0.6%) in June.
- Excluding autos, retail sales increased 0.3% month-over-month, as expected, following an upwardly revised 0.8% increase (from 0.5%) in June.
Key Factors
- Motor vehicle and parts dealers sales increased 1.6% month-over-month following a 1.4% increase in June.
- Furniture and home furnishing store sales jumped 1.4% month-over-month following a 0.1% increase in June.
- Gasoline station sales rose 0.7% month-over-month following a 0.6% increase in June.
- Clothing and clothing accessories store sales advanced 0.7% month-over-month following a 1.1% increase in June.
- Nonstore retailer sales, aided by the extended Amazon Prime Day sale, increased 0.8% month-over-month following a 0.9% increase in June.
- Core retail sales were up a solid 0.5% month-over-month following a 0.9% increase in June.
Big Picture
- The key takeaway from the report, which isn't adjusted for inflation, is that it reflects a decent pace of consumer spending that isn't owed entirely to price increases; however, it does reveal a few points of spending caution, evidenced by the 0.6% decline in electronics and appliance stores, the 1.0% decline in building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, and the 0.4% decline in food services and drinking places.
| Category | JUL | JUN | MAY | APR | MAR |
| Retail Sales | 0.5% | 0.9% | -0.8% | -0.1% | 1.5% |
| Excluding Autos | 0.3% | 0.8% | -0.1% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Durable goods | |||||
| Building Materials | -1.0% | 1.3% | -2.7% | 0.5% | 2.0% |
| Autos/parts | 1.6% | 1.4% | -3.8% | -0.7% | 5.3% |
| Furniture | 1.4% | 0.1% | -0.5% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Nondurable goods | |||||
| General Merchandise | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Food | 0.5% | 0.8% | -0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Gasoline stations | 0.7% | 0.6% | -0.7% | -0.4% | -2.8% |
| Clothing | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| e*retailing/non-store | 0.8% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
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