US retail sales posted solid advances in consecutive months for the first time this year, tempering concerns of a retrenchment in spending as consumers remain unsettled by the potential for tariff-induced inflation.

Sales at retailers rose solidly in July for the second month in a row, but the increase in spending appeared to be a double-edged sword: Americans are still confident enough in the economy to spend, but they are also paying more because of higher inflation.

Real Retail Sales are holding steady but on an uptrend from April 2024. The past 2mos saw higher revisions. There was a noted boost in Light Weight Vehicle Sales & Parts with the 16.411Mil SAAR coming in 1mil above the forecasted 15.3Mil level.

Consumers are still buying things in the United States, a new report from the Census Bureau said Friday. Spending at U.S. retailers rose 0.5% in July.

Policymakers are under pressure to roll out more stimulus to revive domestic demand and ward off external shocks to the $19 trillion economy.

Retail sales rose less than expected in July as consumers still showed signs of rebounding after a pullback in the spring.

American consumers defied expectations with retail sales growth in June, as shoppers adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude toward economic uncertainty and looming tariffs.

Here are three of the stories Wall Street is watching on Friday, Aug. 15. Retail sales in July rose 0.5% from the month prior, slightly below the 0.6% economists polled by Bloomberg were expecting. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting today in Alaska.