News Brief · United States · Published 23 Aug 2026, 12:10
US retail sales fell 0.6% in July
The monthly fall points to softer goods spending, though annual sales remained higher and the data cover only part of household consumption.
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The Census Bureau estimated July 2026 retail and food-service sales at $763.6 billion, down 0.6% from June but 5.0% above July 2025.
What happened
Advance estimates showed a monthly pullback in nominal retail sales after seasonal adjustment, while the year-on-year comparison continued to show growth.
Why it matters
Retail data offer an early signal of consumer demand and can shift expectations for GDP, company revenues and future monetary policy.
Economic context
The series is nominal and excludes many services, so inflation and spending outside shops must be considered before drawing conclusions about real consumption.
Key data
- sales
- $763.6 billion
- yearly_change
- +5.0%
- monthly_change
- -0.6%
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