U.S. Retail Sales Up 0.5% in April; Core Sales Up 6.3% YoY

The Commerce Department’s advance estimate for April 2026 put total retail and food services receipts at $757.1 billion, seasonally adjusted. April sales rose 0.5% (±0.4%) from March and climbed 4.9% (±0.5%) from April 2025. Retail trade sales were up 0.5% month-to-month and 5.2% year-over-year. Total sales for February through April 2026 were 4.4% higher than the same three-month period a year earlier. The February-to-March percent change was revised from a 1.7% increase to 1.6%.

Core retail sales, which exclude motor vehicles and parts, increased 0.7% in April, marking an eleventh consecutive monthly rise. On a 12-month basis, core sales were up 6.3%, the largest annual increase since early 2023. The April monthly gain was smaller than March’s 1.9% increase.

The control purchases series, a narrower measure that excludes motor vehicles and parts, gasoline stations, building materials, and food services and drinking places, rose 0.5% in April after a 0.8% gain in March. Control purchases were up 5.8% from April 2025.

By category, nonstore retailers, which include online and other non‑brick-and-mortar sales, were up 11.1% from April 2025 (±1.8%). Food services and drinking places rose 2.7% year-over-year (±1.8%). Headline retail figures showed greater volatility than control measures, with swings tied to energy markets, auto sales and large one-off purchases.

The Commerce Department’s figures are seasonally adjusted and account for holiday and trading-day differences but are not adjusted for price changes. Real retail sales remove price effects to show changes in sales volume and can be used for an inflation-adjusted view.

The April advance estimates provide an updated snapshot of consumer spending alongside inflation and interest-rate data.