Key Takeaways

• Modest monthly gain: U.S. retail sales rose 0.5% in April to $757.1 billion, matching market expectations.
• March revised down: The prior month’s reading was revised to 1.6% from the initial 1.7%.
• Strong annual growth: Retail sales were up 4.9% year-on-year in April.
• Three-month trend: Total sales for February through April 2026 were up 4.4% from the same period a year ago.
• Consumer resilience: The steady gains suggest U.S. consumers continue to spend despite Iran war energy shocks and elevated inflation.

Retail Sales in the United States rose by 0.5% on a monthly basis in April to $757.1 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on Thursday. This reading followed the 1.6% increase (revised down from 1.7%) recorded in March and came in line with market expectations. On a yearly basis, retail sales were up 4.9% over this period.

“Total sales for the February 2026 through April 2026 period were up 4.4 percent (±0.4 percent) from the same period a year ago,” the press release noted. “The February 2026 to March 2026 percent change was revised from up 1.7 percent (±0.4 percent) to up 1.6 percent (±0.2 percent).”