Key Points:
- Retail sales, a measure of purchases at stores, restaurants and online, rose 0.4% in September, up from 0.1% increase in August.
- Excluding autos, retail sales rose by just 0.5% over the month.
- Retail sales were 1.7% above September 2023 but CPI data released earlier this month showed prices have increased 2.4% in the last year.
- Retail sales are not adjusted for inflation and reflect price differences as well as purchase amounts.
- Total sales for the July 2024 through September 2024 period were up 2.3% from the same period a year ago.
- The Right Facts will continue to monitor retail sales.