Trending Now - February Retail Sales Surge Amidst Rising Geopolitical Tensions

WHO:

ABC News - Ksenia Bushmeneva, economist at TD Bank Group

ABC News - Samuel Tombs, chief economist at Pantheon Economics

ABC News - Patrick De Haan, analyst at GasBuddy

ABC News - Daniel Erver, CEO of Hennes & Mauritz

ABC News - Darren Rebelez, CEO of Casey’s General Stores

CNN - Vivian Chen, financial market economist at Nationwide

CNN - President Trump

CNN - Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s consumer survey

WHAT:

ABC News - Retail sales rose 0.6% in February 2026, following a revised 0.1% decline in January 2026.

CNN - Retail sales increased 0.6% in February 2026, higher than the 0.4% increase projected by economists.

ABC News - Sales at motor vehicle and auto parts dealerships rose 1.2% in February 2026.

ABC News - Sales at clothing and accessories stores rose 2% in February 2026.

ABC News - The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline hit $4.06 on March 1st, 2026.

CNN - The average price for a gallon of gasoline crossed $4 on March 1st, 2026.

ABC News - Economists expect a related bump in inflation potentially as soon as March 2026.

ABC News - Higher gas prices are expected to reduce real household incomes by roughly $15 billion per month.

WHERE:

ABC News - United States

CNN - Strait of Hormuz, a major global chokepoint

WHEN:

ABC News - The Iran war began on February 28th, 2026.

CNN - The February retail sales report was released on March 1st, 2026.

CNN - The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the monthly jobs report on April 7th, 2026.

WHY:

ABC News - Increased spending in February 2026 followed a pullback due to severe winter storms at the start of the year.

ABC News - The Iran war is causing gasoline prices to soar, which could derail consumer spending.

CNN - The war threatens to increase inflation and weaken economic growth.

HOW:

ABC News - Retail sales figures are not adjusted for inflation, which may affect real spending.

ABC News - Analysts gauge the impact of gas prices based on the percentage of household income spent on fuel.

(UPDATED April 1, 2026 15:21 UTC)

Retail sales in the United States rose by 0.6% in February 20th26, bouncing back from a revised decline of 0.1% in January, with notable increases in sales at motor vehicle dealerships and clothing stores. However, the ongoing war in Iran has pushed gasoline prices above four dollars a gallon, which could lead to a decrease in real household incomes by about $15 billion per month and potentially drive inflation higher. Economists are closely monitoring these developments, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the monthly jobs report April 7th.