WASHINGTON—U.S. retail sales fell in February as purchases of motor vehicle purchases and other goods slumped, payback after the prior month’s outsized increase, but consumer spending continued to show underlying strength. The Commerce Department said on Wednesday that retail sales dropped 0.4 percent last month. Data for January was revised higher to show retail sales […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. retail sales increased by the most in nearly two years in January after two straight monthly declines as Americans boosted purchases of motor vehicles and other goods, pointing to the economy’s continued resilience despite higher borrowing costs. Coming on the heels of news on Tuesday that monthly inflation picked up in January, signs of […]
NEW YORK—Americans cut back on spending in December, the second consecutive month they’ve done so, underscoring how inflation and the rising cost of using credit cards slowed consumer activity over the crucial holiday shopping season. Retail sales fell a worse-than-expected 1.1 percent in December, following a revised 1 percent drop in November, the Commerce Department reported […]
U.S. online spending during the 2022 holiday season rose by a better-than-expected 3.5 percent, a report by Adobe Analytics showed, as retailers used hefty discounts to lure inflation-weary consumers into spending on everything from toys to electronics. Shoppers spent a record $211.7 billion online over the holiday season, which typically starts in November and ends […]
WASHINGTON—Americans cut back sharply on retail spending last month as the holiday shopping season began with high prices and rising interest rates forcing families, particularly lower income households, to make harder decisions about what they buy. Retail sales fell 0.6 percent from October to November after a sharp 1.3 percent rise the previous month, the […]
Now that the turkey has been gobbled up and the apple pie has been devoured, it is the official start of the holiday shopping season. But in today’s inflationary environment, retailers are bracing for cost-conscious shoppers, and cash-strapped customers are on the hunt for deals. Will this be the most unusual time of the year? […]
WASHINGTON—Americans stepped up their spending at retailers, restaurants, and auto dealers last month, a sign of consumer resilience as the holiday shopping season begins amid painfully high inflation and rising interest rates. The government said Wednesday that retail sales rose 1.3 percent in October from September, up from a flat reading in September from August. […]
NEW YORK—The pace of sales at U.S. retailers was unchanged in September from August as rising prices for rent and food chipped away at money available for other things. Retail sales were flat last month, down from a revised 0.4 percent growth in August, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Retail sales fell 0.4 percent in […]
Retail sales unexpectedly rose 0.3 percent in August, topping the market estimate of 0 percent growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s advance estimates (pdf). This is up from the downward revised 0.4 percent drop in July, which was the first decline in seven months. In total, consumers spent $683.3 billion, up 9.1 percent from […]
