United States Retail Sales YoY
Jul 2026 · Monthly
US retail sales rose to 6.01% year over year in August 2026, from 5.03% in July. This marks the second consecutive monthly increase, following a decline in June. The latest reading remains well below the all-time high of 51.85% recorded in April 2021, and above the all-time low of -19.69% from April 2020. Compared with a year earlier, the pace accelerated from 4.73% in August 2025. The data series, which began in January 1993, shows the August figure is the third-highest in the past year, trailing May's 7.23% and June's 6.82%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Retail sales in the United States rose 5.01% year-on-year in July 2026, slowing from a 6.75% increase in the prior month. The reading remains well below the all-time high of 51.85% recorded in April 2021, while staying above the record low of -19.69% from April 2020. The series dates back to January 1993.
| Actual | Forecast | Previous | Highest | Lowest | Dates | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0% | — | 6.8% | 51.9%Apr 2021 | -19.7%Apr 2020 | 1993 – 2026 | Monthly |
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About this series
Retail Sales YoY in United States averaged 4.8% from 1993 until 2026, reaching an all-time high of 51.9% in Apr 2021 and a record low of -19.7% in Apr 2020. The series is reported monthly with history from 1993.
Retail Sales Year-over-Year measures the change in the total value of inflation-adjusted retail sales in the United States compared with the same month a year earlier. The data are reported as a percentage change on a monthly frequency. The series spans from January 1993 to the present.
Source & methodology
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis · Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)
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