Updated: 16-Sep-26 09:16 ET

August Retail Sales

Updated: 16-Sep-26 09:16 ET

Highlights

• Total retail sales increased 1.2% month-over-month in August (Briefing.com consensus: 0.9%) following an upwardly revised 0.5% decline (from -0.6%) in July.
• Excluding autos, retail sales surged 1.4% (Briefing.com consensus: 0.5%) following an upwardly revised 0.2% decline (from -0.3%) in July.

Key Factors

• Motor vehicle and parts dealers sales were up 0.6% month-over-month following a 1.8% decline in July.
• Gasoline station sales were up 3.1% month-over-month following a 0.2% decline in July.
• Electronics and appliance store sales rose 1.6% month-over-month following a 0.1% decline in July.
• Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers sales fell 0.2% month-over-month following a 0.1% decline in July.
• Clothing and clothing accessories sales jumped 0.7% month-over-month following a 1.3% increase in July.
• Nonstore retailer sales surged 2.6% month-over-month following a 1.7% decline in July.
• Food services and drinking places sales increased 1.2% month-over-month following a 0.5% increase in July.

Big Picture

• The key takeaway from the report is that it is indicative of ongoing strength in consumer spending on goods. Take gas station sales out of the equation, and retail sales were still up 1.1% month-over-month; core sales, which exclude autos, gasoline, building materials, and food services, jumped 1.4%.

Category	AUG	JUL	JUN	MAY	APR
Retail Sales	1.2%	-0.5%	0.3%	0.9%	0.7%
Excluding Autos	1.4%	-0.2%	-0.2%	0.9%	0.9%
Durable goods
Building Materials	-0.2%	-0.1%	1.0%	0.2%	0.1%
Autos/parts	0.6%	-1.8%	2.5%	1.0%	-0.4%
Furniture	0.9%	-0.2%	-0.1%	1.6%	-1.2%
Nondurable goods
General Merchandise	0.7%	0.5%	0.0%	0.4%	0.0%
Food	0.4%	-0.2%	-0.2%	0.2%	0.6%
Gasoline stations	3.1%	-0.2%	-5.5%	2.8%	3.7%
Clothing	0.7%	1.3%	-0.7%	1.0%	-0.5%
e*retailing/non-store	2.6%	-1.7%	1.0%	0.5%	1.5%