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Source: Affinity Solutions, Consumer Purchase Insights, courtesy of NRF.
Source: Affinity Solutions, Consumer Purchase Insights, courtesy of NRF.
U.S. retail sales rise for 10th consecutive month in July
ColoradoBiz Staff //August 24, 2026//
In Brief:
- U.S. retail sales up 0.32% from June
- Electronics and appliance stores lead 12.04% growth
- Core retail sales rise 0.3% month over month
- Matthew Shay credits low unemployment and wage gains
U.S. retail sales increased in July for the 10th consecutive month, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.
Total retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations, increased a seasonally adjusted 0.32% from June and an unadjusted 5.15% from July 2025. In June, sales rose 0.33% month over month and 9.41% year over year.
Core retail sales, which also exclude restaurants, increased 0.3% from June and 4.72% from a year earlier. Through the first seven months of 2026, total sales rose 6.57% from the same period in 2025 while core sales increased 6.53%.
“Retail sales maintained their steady upward momentum in July as consumers kept shopping despite ups and downs in other economic indicators,” National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said. He attributed the growth in part to low unemployment, wage gains, summer sales and early back-to-school promotions.
Sales increased year over year in seven of nine categories. Electronics and appliance stores led the gains at 12.04%, followed by digital products at 12.02% and health and personal care stores at 10.07%.
Building and garden supply store sales declined 1.2% year over year while sporting goods, hobby, music and bookstore sales fell 3.01%.
The Retail Monitor is based on anonymized credit and debit card purchase data compiled by Affinity Solutions.
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