# US retail sales jump 1.2% in August after a fall in July

> Sales at US retailers and restaurants reached $773.9 billion, 6.0% more than a year earlier, the Census Bureau said on 16 September. July's decline was revised to 0.5%.

- Canonical URL: https://forextradingcommunity.com/news/us-retail-sales-august-2026/
- Type: Data
- Published: 2026-09-17
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Publisher: Forex Trading Community (https://forextradingcommunity.com), FTC Editorial Team
- Currencies: USD

The US Census Bureau published its advance estimate of August retail sales on Wednesday 16 September 2026, a few hours before the Federal Reserve's decision.

## The figures

Seasonally adjusted, in current dollars:

- **Retail and food services sales**: $773.9 billion in August, up 1.2% (±0.4%) from July
- **Compared with August 2025**: up 6.0% (±0.5%)
- **July, revised**: down 0.5% (±0.2%), previously reported as a fall of 0.6%
- **June to August**: up 6.0% (±0.5%) on the same three months of 2025

The figures in brackets are the Census Bureau's 90% confidence intervals. Advance estimates come from a smaller sample than the final monthly survey and are often revised, as July's was.

## Spending or prices?

Retail sales are measured in dollars and aren't adjusted for price changes. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in the year to August, and gasoline was 27.4% more expensive than a year earlier ([CPI report](/news/us-cpi-august-2026-inflation-3-4-percent/)). Part of the 6.0% annual increase in sales therefore reflects higher prices rather than more goods sold.

Even so, a 1.2% monthly gain after July's fall shows households kept spending in August. Employers added 162,000 jobs that month ([report](/news/us-jobs-report-august-2026/)), and consumers expected prices to rise 3.6% over the next year ([New York Fed survey](/news/ny-fed-consumer-expectations-august-2026/)).

## What it means for the Fed and the dollar

The Fed's statement on 16 September described domestic spending as resilient when it raised rates to 3.75%–4.00% ([report](/news/fed-raises-rates-september-2026/)). Strong nominal sales alongside 3.4% inflation fit the committee's concern that price pressure hasn't eased.

Retail sales are one of the first monthly readings of consumer spending, which is why they can move the dollar and US stock indexes on the day. The September figures are due next month; release times are on the [economic calendar](/calendar/). Live prices: [EUR/USD](/markets/eur-usd/) and the [US 500](/markets/us-500/).

## Sources

- [US Census Bureau: Advance Monthly Retail Trade Report, August 2026](https://www.census.gov/retail/sales.html)
- [US Census Bureau: Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, August 2026 (PDF)](https://www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdf)

## Common questions

### How much did US retail sales rise in August 2026?

Retail and food services sales rose 1.2% from July to $773.9 billion, and were 6.0% higher than in August 2025, according to the Census Bureau's advance estimate published on 16 September 2026.

### Are US retail sales adjusted for inflation?

No. The monthly retail sales estimates are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, so rising prices raise the dollar value of sales.

### What is the retail sales report?

The Census Bureau's Advance Monthly Retail Trade Report, published about two weeks after the month ends. It is the earliest broad monthly measure of US spending at stores, online retailers and restaurants.

---

This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Trading forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money.