Retail sales

Developments

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/RRSFS

		Millions	Retail Sales			Real Retail Sales
Month	Release Date	Amount	Actual M/M	Forecast M/M	Actual Y/Y	Amount	M/M	Y/Y	Market Reaction	Full Release
May 2024	2024-6-18		0.10%	0.30%	2.27%				Futures: Flat	Link
April 2024	2024-5-15	705,180	-0.20%	0.40%	3.04%	225,148	0.00%	-0.91%		Link
March 2024	2024-4-15	709,590	0.60%	0.40%	3.83%	225,813	0.34	-2.10%		Link
February 2024	2024-2-15	700,727	0.90%	0.80%	2.11%	225,208	0.13	-1.90	0%	Link
January 2023	2024-2-15	700,291	-0.80%	-0.20%	0.65%	224,625	-1.14	-1.86	0%	Link
December 2023	2023-01-17	709,890	0.40%	0.40%	5.59	227,781	0.25	2.21	-2%	Link
November 2023	2023-12-14	705,981	0.35	-0.10%	3.97	229,276	0.25	0.82	+1.5%	Link
October 2023	2023-11-15	703,528	-0.25	-0.30%	2.20	228,701	-0.30	-1.00	+2%	Link
September 2023	2023-10-17	705,304	0.82	-0.3%	4.00	229,381	0.43	0.30		Link
August 2023	2023-09-14	699,540	0.74	0.3%	2.84	228,407	0.11	-0.84		Link
July 2023	2023-08-15	694,415	0.56	0.20%	2.75	228,165	0.40	-0.53		Link
June 2023	2023-07-18	690,518	0.20	0.40%	1.47	227,263	0.02	-1.57		Link
May 2023	2023-06-15	689,158	0.66	0.50%	2.11	227,224	0.54	-1.94		Link
April 2023	2023-05-16	684,636	0.43	-0.10%	1.29	226,014	0.07	-3.49		Link
March 2023	2023-04-14	681,673	-0.91	0.80%	2.19	225,863	-0.96	-2.66		Link
February 2023	2023-03-15	687,942	-0.66	-0.40%	5.26	228,061	-1.02	-0.68		Link
January 2023	2023-02-15	692,501	3.00	-0.30%	7.41	230,422	2.47	1.00		Link
December 2022	2023-01-18	672,336	-0.99	1.80%	5.78	224,869	-1.12	-0.62		Link
November 2022	2022-12-15	679,045	-1.35	-0.80%	6.23	227,411	-1.55	-0.85		Link
October 2022	2022-11-16	688,352	1.50	-0.10%	8.91	231,001	1.00	1.06		Link
September 2022	2022-10-14	678,202	-0.30	1.00%	9.02	228,706	-0.71	0.74		Link
August 2022	2022-09-15	680,252	0.66	0.20%	10.13	230,344	0.42	1.76		Link
July 2022	2022-08-17	675,822	-0.69	0.20%	10.36	229,381	-0.66	1.79		Link
June 2022	2022-07-15	680,515	0.83	0.10%	9.48	230,896	-0.35	0.50		Link
May 2022	2022-06-15	674,915	-0.15	0.80%	9.67	231,716	-1.06	1.08		Link
April 2022	2022-05-17	675,899	1.33	0.20%	8.92	234,190	0.93	0.64		Link
March 2022	2022-04-14	667,050	2.07	0.90%	8.36	232,040	1.05	-0.14		Link
February 2022	2022-03-16	653,552	1.37	0.60%	17.77	229,631	0.65	9.09		Link
January 2022	2022-02-16	644,750	1.44	0.40%	13.25	228,150	0.83	5.26		Link
December 2021	2022-01-14	635,598	-0.57	2.00%	15.52	226,282	-1.34	7.77		Link

2024

January 2024

• Advanced retail sales fell 0.8% in January versus growth of 0.4% in December (revised down from 0.6%) and exceeding expectations for a 0.2% decline as consumers pulled back after the holiday season and due to severe winter weather.
• Excluding autos, retail sales fell 0.6% below estimates for a 0.2% gain.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations declined 0.4%, lower than estimates for a 0.2% increase.
• The numbers are not adjusted for inflation which was up 0.3% on a monthly basis.
• Stocks were unmoved by the weak numbers-S&P 500 futures rose 0.1%, Nasdaq Composite futures were flat while Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%.

February 2024

• Advanced retail sales rose 0.6% in February versus a decline of 1.1% in January (revised up from -0.8%) and lower-than 0.8% estimate.
• Excluding autos, retail sales rose 0.3%, in-line with the estimates.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations was flat m/, lower than estimates for a 0.4% increase.
• The numbers are not adjusted for inflation which was up 0.4% on a monthly basis

2023

March 2023

• -U.S retail sales declined 1% in March from February, more than the 0.2% decline in February and -0.4% estimate.
• Excluding gasoline, autos, food services and building materials, retail sales declined 0.3% in March versus an increase of 0.5% in February and better than -0.4% estimate.
• Eight out of 13 retail categories fell in March, led by gasoline stations(-5.5%), electronics and appliances(-2.1%), and building and material equipment(-2.1%).
• Retail sales are not adjusted for inflation.

April 2023

• U.S retail sales increased 0.4% in April, below an estimate for a 0.8% increase.
• Excluding auto-related figures, retail sales rose 0.4% in line with estimates.
• Since retail sales are not adjusted for inflation, the 0.4% rise in the headline number was equal to monthly rise in CPI.
• Yearly, retail sales rose 1.6%, below the 5% growth in CPI.
• Seven of the 13 retail categories rose in April led by miscellaneous store retailers(+2.4%), online sales(+1.2%) and health and personal care retailers(+0.9%).

May 2023

• U.S retail sales increased 0.3% in May, above expectations for a 0.1% decline.
• Excluding autos and gasoline, retail sales grew 0.4% in May versus expectations for it to remain flat.
• Excluding auto-related figures, building materials stores and food services, retail sales rose 0.2% versus growth of 0.6% in April.
• Yearly, retail sales rose 1.6%.
• Sales growth occurred in 10 out of the 13 retail categories.
• Retail sales are not adjusted for inflation.

June 2023

• U.S retail sales increased 0.2% in June versus an increase of 0.5% estimate.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations rose 0.6% in June, above +0.3% estimate.
• Retail sales excluding auto and gas rose 0.3% during the month in-line with estimates.
• Seven out of 13 categories saw growth in sales, including non-store retailers, electronics stores and furniture outlets.
• Retail sales are not adjusted for inflation, but real retail sales is expected to be flat given that consumer price index rose 0.2% for the month.
• Year-over-year, retail sales rose 1.49% below estimate of 1.60%.

July 2023

• U.S retail sales rose 0.7% in July, above 0.4% estimate.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations rose 1% versus 0.5% estimate.
• 9 out of the 13 categories saw sales increase, including online retailers(+1.9%), sporting goods and related stores(+1.5%) and food service and drinking places(+1.4%).
• Some of the categories that saw decline in sales include furniture(-1.8%) and electronics and appliances(-1.3%).
• The numbers point to solid demand given that they are not adjusted for inflation and that Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% in July.

August 2023

• U.S retail sales rose 0.6% in August, below estimate for a 0.1% increase and an increase of 0.5% in July(revised down from 0.7%).
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations rose 0.1% versus estimate for a 0.1% decline.
• Some of the categories that saw big increase in sales include gasoline stations(+5.2%), Clothing & clothing accessories stores(+0.9%), and electronics and appliance stores(+0.7%).
• Categories that saw decline in sales include Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, & book stores(-1.6%), furniture(-1.0%), and miscellaneous stores(-1.3%).
• The numbers are not adjusted for inflation.

September 2023

• Retail sales rose 0.7% last month.Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales rising 0.3% in September. Retail sales are mostly goods and are not adjusted for inflation.
• Data for August was revised higher to show sales advancing 0.8% instead of 0.6% as previously reported.
• Sales at auto dealerships accelerated 1.0% last month after rising 0.4% in August. Receipts at gasoline stations climbed 0.9%, reflecting higher pump prices. Excluding motor vehicles and gasoline stations, retail sales rose a solid 0.6%.
• Excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, retail sales rose 0.6% in September. Data for August was revised up to show these so-called core retail sales gaining 0.2% instead of 0.1% as previously reported.
• Online sales jumped 1.1% after advancing 0.4% in August.
• Sales at food services and drinking places increased 0.9% after rising 0.4% in August.
• But consumers cut back on purchases of other big-ticket items like electronics and appliances, with sales at these outlets falling 0.8%. Receipts at building material, garden equipment and supplies dealers dropped 0.2%. Furniture store sales were unchanged. Sales at clothing stores declined 0.8%.

October 2023

• U.S retail sales fell 0.1% in October, better than expectations for a 0.3% decline and compared to growth of 0.9% in September.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations rose 0.2%, in-line with the estimate.
• Sales exluding autos and gas rose 0.1% in October, below +0.2% estimate.

November 2023

• Retail sales grew 0.3% in November versus 0.2% decline in October (revised up from -0.1%) and better than estimate for a 0.1% decline.
• Excluding autos and gas, retail sales rose 0.6%, better than 0.2% estimate.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations rose 0.4%, exceeding 0.2% estimate.
• The numbers are not adjusted for inflation.

December 2023

• Retail sales rose 0.6% in December, the strongest pace in three months and above 0.4% estimate.
• Excluding autos, retail sales rose 0.4%, higher than 0.2% estimate.
• Control group sales which excludes food services, auto dealers, building materials stores and gasoline stations increased by 0.8%, above expectations for it to grow by 0.2%.
• The numbers are not adjusted for inflation.
• Stock futures were down following the report- S&P 500 futures fell 0.5%, Nasdaq Composite declined by 0.7% while Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.4%.