Retail Sales See Slight Increase in June Amid Economic Woes

WHO:

ABC News - Shoppers

CNN - Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

CNN - Oliver Allen, senior US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics

WHAT:

ABC News - Retail sales increased by 0.2% in June.

CNN - Retail sales rose 0.2% in June from the prior month, down from May’s revised 1% increase.

CNN - Retail sales were lower than the expected 0.3% increase according to a poll of economists by FactSet.

CNN - Excluding sales at gas stations, spending in June was up by 0.7%.

CNN - A measure of retail spending that strips out volatile categories rose 0.5% in June.

CNN - Sales at online retailers rose by 1.9% and at car dealerships by 1.9%.

CNN - Spending at gas stations declined by 5.3% and at health and personal care stores by 0.8%.

CNN - Spending at restaurants and bars increased by 0.1% and at department stores by 0.1%.

WHERE:

CNN - United States

WHEN:

CNN - The World Cup and Amazon’s Prime Day sale occurred in June.

WHY:

CNN - Lower gas prices weighed on the government’s retail figures.

CNN - The resilience of the US consumer is attributed to low layoffs and a solid labor market.

CNN - Low-income households are feeling the impact of price hikes and mounting debt more than high-income households.

HOW:

CNN - Retail sales figures are adjusted for seasonal swings but not for inflation.

(UPDATED July 17, 2026 10:32 UTC)

Retail sales in the United States increased by 0.2% in June, a decline from May's revised 1% increase and below the anticipated 0.3% rise according to economists surveyed by FactSet. While spending at gas stations fell by 5.3%, online retailers and car dealerships both saw a boost of 1.9%, and overall spending excluding gas was up by 0.7%. Analysts attribute the resilience of the US consumer to a solid labor market and low layoffs, although low-income households are feeling the pinch of rising prices and debt more acutely than their higher-income counterparts.