The Census Bureau's Advance Retail Sales Report for August showed consumer spending was higher than expected, with headline sales rising 0.6% versus the expected 0.2% monthly growth. This is unchanged from July's upwardly revised 0.6% growth and marks the third consecutive monthly increase in headline sales. For an inflation-adjusted perspective on retail sales, take a look at our Real Retail Sales commentary. Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August 2025, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $732.0 billion, up 0.6 percent ... (full story)