US Retail Sales Rose 0.8% in September 2026 to $745B
American consumers kept spending in September, pushing retail and food services sales up 0.8% from August's revised 1.3% gain.
U.S. retail and food services sales climbed to $745.0 billion in September 2026, a 0.8 percent increase from the prior month, according to advance estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The margin of error on the monthly change was plus or minus 0.4 percentage points.
The September gain follows a revised August advance of 1.3 percent, suggesting consumer spending maintained momentum heading into the final quarter of the year. Back-to-back monthly increases signal that household demand remained a stabilizing force in the broader economy.
Read more US Wholesale Sales Rise 1.8% in August 2026 to $817.5B →
The advance retail sales report is one of the earliest indicators of consumer activity each month and is subject to revision as more complete data are collected. Analysts and policymakers typically watch the series closely for signs of shifting consumer confidence, inflationary pressure on spending, or changes in discretionary versus essential purchasing patterns.
September's result, if it holds through subsequent revisions, would mark a solid stretch of consumer-driven economic activity. The Census Bureau is scheduled to release revised figures alongside the next advance estimate.
Continue reading at U.S. Census Bureau Economic Briefing Room.
