Retail Sales

Commerce reported that February retail sales, at $700.7 billion, rose 0.6% compared to January and were up 1.5% annually. NRF reported that February’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, saw a 0.2% seasonally-adjusted increase over January and a 5.5% annual increase on an unadjusted basis.

Commerce reported that January retail sales, at $700.3 billion, were off 0.8% compared to December and up 0.6% compared to January 2023. NRF reported that January’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, fell 0.8%, from December to January, while increasing 2.8% annually.

Commerce reported that January retail sales, at $700.3 billion, were off 0.8% compared to December and up 0.6% compared to January 2023. NRF reported that January’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, fell 0.8%, from December to January, while increasing 2.8% annually.

Commerce reported that November retail sales, at $705.7 billion, were up 0.3% compared to October and rose 4.1% compared to November 2022. NRF reported that November retail sales, which does not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 3.3% annually on an unadjusted basis on a three-month moving average and up 3.7% annually through November on an annual year-to-date basis.

Commerce reported that total October retail sales, at $705.0 billion, were off 0.1% compared to September and posted a 2.5% annual gain. NRF reported that October retail sales, which does not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 3.1% annually on an unadjusted basis on a three-month moving average through October, while posting a 3.7% annual gain through the first ten months of 2023.

Commerce reported that total October retail sales, at $705.0 billion, were off 0.1% compared to September and posted a 2.5% annual gain. NRF reported that October retail sales, which does not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 3.1% annually on an unadjusted basis on a three-month moving average through October, while posting a 3.7% annual gain through the first ten months of 2023.

NRF’s holiday sales forecast numbers are optimistic and positive, with 2023 holiday season retail sales pegged to be up 3%-to-4% annually, coming in between $957.3 billion and $966.6 billion.

Commerce reported that total September retail sales, at $704.9 billion, increased 0.7%, from August to September, and posted a 3.8% annual gain. NRF reported that September retail sales, which does not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 0.5% on a seasonally-adjusted basis over August, and rose 2.2% on an unadjusted basis annually.

Commerce reported that total August retail sales, at $697.6 billion, were up 0.6% from July to August, and were up 2.5% annually. Total retail sales, from June through August, saw a 2.2% annual increase, it noted. NRF’s calculation of retail sales – which excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail – showed August was up 0.1% seasonally adjusted from July and up 3.3% unadjusted year over year. In July, sales were up 0.7% month over month and also up 3.3% year over year.  

Commerce reported that total August retail sales, at $697.6 billion, were up 0.6% from July to August, and were up 2.5% annually. Total retail sales, from June through August, saw a 2.2% annual increase, it noted. NRF’s calculation of retail sales – which excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail – showed August was up 0.1% seasonally adjusted from July and up 3.3% unadjusted year over year. In July, sales were up 0.7% month over month and also up 3.3% year over year.

Commerce reported that July retail sales, at $696.4 billion, were up 0.7%, from June to July, and up 3.2% annually. NRF reported that July retail sales, which does not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, rose 1% on a seasonally-adjusted basis over June and increased 3.8% annually on an unadjusted basis.

The decrease in consumer spending, which, as we all know, drives roughly 70% (give or take) of all economic activity, was a key theme in a blog posting recently issued by National Retail Federation (NRF) Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz, in the NRF’s Monthly Economic Review. The key thesis made by Kleinhenz was that even though U.S. consumers are buying more than they were a year ago at this time, growth in spending is slowing down, as does the economy...

For June, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volumes, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 1.83 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), marking a 5.2% gain decrease compared to May and an 18.7% annual decline. For the first half of 2023, total imports came in at 10.5 million TEU, down 22% compared to the same period a year ago.

Commerce reported that June retail sales, at $689.5 billion, rose 0.2% over May and saw a 1.5% annual increase. NRF reported that June retail sales, which does not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, were up 0.4%, from May to June and were up 3.3% on an unadjusted basis annually.

Commerce reported that May retail sales—at $686.6 billion—headed up 0.3% over April and were up 1.6% annually. And it added that total retail sales, from March through May, were up 1.7% annually. NRF reported that May retail sales were up 0.4% over April and were up 4.4% on an unadjusted basis annually.