August US Retail Sales Rise More Than Expected, Ex-Auto Sales Up

08:43 AM EDT, 09/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US retail sales rose by 0.6% in August, well above the 0.2% increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:40 am ET and following the previous month's 0.6% gain.

Excluding a 0.5% increase in motor vehicle sales, retail sales were still up 0.7% compared with an expected 0.4% gain. That followed a 0.4% increase in July.

Removing both motor vehicles and a 0.5% increase in gasoline station sales, retail sales were still up 0.7% in August after a 0.3% gain in July.

Sales at food services and drinking places rebounded by 0.7% after a 0.1% decline in the previous month.

There were also notable sales gains for electronics, groceries, clothing, building materials, sporting goods and at nonstore retailers, but declines in the sales for furniture, health care, miscellaneous store retailers and at department stores

The monthly retail sales report from the US Commerce Department measures spending on retail products and food, the largest portion of economic growth. The report covers spending on goods with a services report released later each month.

Investors watch the control group that excludes food services, autos, gasoline and building materials because it feeds directly into the GDP report measuring economic growth.

If the data shows a strong US economy, that's generally bullish for stocks and bearish for bonds.

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