Overview

• June retail sales rose 0.6% after a 0.9% May decline, surpassing economists’ forecast of a 0.1% increase.
• Core retail sales, excluding autos, gasoline, building materials and food services, climbed 0.5%, the biggest gain since March.
• Broad-based gains were led by a 1.2% jump in motor vehicle and parts sales alongside increases in clothing, restaurant and online spending.
• Analysts say higher prices on tariff-sensitive goods likely accounted for some of the nominal sales increase rather than a rise in volumes.
• Federal Reserve officials have signaled they will wait for clearer evidence of tariffs’ impact on inflation before cutting interest rates.