Category: US Retail Sales

Retail Sales Come in Below Expectations After 2 Months of Declines

U.S. retail sales rose slightly in April but fell below expectations after two months of declines. Retail sales are primarily goods and are not adjusted for inflation, while changes in the category are widely followed as an indicator of consumer spending. Last month’s overall retail sales rose 0.4 percent last month at $686.1 billion, instead…


NTD Business (Feb. 15): Berkshire Boosts Apple Stake, Dumps TSMC; Elon Musk Warns AI Is a Risk to Civilization

Investor Warren Buffett’s company is dumping most of its stock in top chipmaker TSMC. What did they buy instead? Ford is halting production of its flagship electric pickup truck. What’s the reason? The White House is announcing progress on its national EV charging network—making a deal with Tesla to expand access. U.S. retail sales saw…


Soaring Inflation Squeezing Sales in Dollar Stores

Dollar stores, which have seen more customers shop at their establishments amid rising prices, are now beginning to feel the negative effects of inflation. Dollar Tree and Dollar General, two of the leading stores in the United States, recently announced their second-quarter earnings. During the earnings call on Aug. 25, Dollar Tree CEO Mike Wytinski…


Retail Sales Rose in June but Down When Inflation Is Taken Into Account

U.S. retail sales rose 1 percent in June, largely due to higher prices for food and gas, led by inflation and not sales volumes, according to the Commerce Department on July 15. The small increase in retail sales last month was not adjusted for inflation, with sales likely falling 0.2 percent when taking the 1.3 percent…


United States Retail Sales Register 0.9 Percent Growth in April

U.S. retail and food services sales rose in April 2022 by 0.9 percent on a month-on-month basis and by 8.2 percent when compared to April 2021, the latest data from the Commerce Department show. “Total sales for February 2022 through April 2022 period were up 10.8 percent from the same period a year ago. The…


US Retail Sales Appear Sluggish in February as Inflation Impacts Consumer Spending

U.S. retail sales rose 0.3 percent in February, but at a slower pace than expected, as inflation seemed to impact consumer spending, according to a Commerce Department report on March 16. Economists had previously estimated that consumer spending would hit 0.4 percent, but rising gasoline and food prices have forced many households to cut back spending…


US Consumer Confidence Dips in January; Spending Intentions Strong

American consumer confidence dipped slightly in January, with many consumers planning to purchase items such as homes, appliances, and automobiles, as U.S. businesses face a hit from inflation and Omicron. Consumer confidence in the economy generally remains high in the United States despite surging prices and scattered shortages of goods and services. The Conference Board’s…


Retail Sales Jump During This Year’s Holiday Season: MasterCard

Holiday retail sales registered an 8.5 percent increase over the past year, according to a MasterCard report published Sunday, as the economy keeps on struggling with the highest inflation rates in almost forty years combined with product shortages. MasterCard SpendingPulse measures sales numbers from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, and includes in-store and online retail…


Retail Sales Jump During The 2021 Holiday Season: Mastercard

Holiday retail sales registered an 8.5 percent increase over the past year, according to a Mastercard report published on Dec. 26, as the economy continues to struggle with the highest inflation rates in almost 40 years combined with product shortages. Mastercard SpendingPulse measures sales numbers from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 and includes in-store and…


Retailers Are Prepared for Christmas Week Rush Despite Supply Chain and Omicron Worries

American retailers are preparing for the last week of the holiday shopping season beginning on Dec. 17. The 2021 holiday season appears to be on track to reach as high as 11.5 percent growth over last year. The last-minute Christmas rush beginning on Super Saturday is the most profitable season for retailers in the fourth…