US retail and food services sales are estimated to have climbed 3.4% in June 2019, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, to $519.9 billion. The April 2019 to May 2019 percent change was revised to up 0.4% from up 0.5%, according to the US Census Bureau. Our measure of core retail sales is the unadjusted year-over-year change, excluding gasoline and automobiles. This metric stood at 2.3% in June, down from 2.8% in May and 5.8% April. [caption id="attachment_93073" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Data is not seasonally adjusted
Source: US Census Bureau/Coresight Research [/caption]   Retail Sales Grow Month Over Month The Census Bureau’s own core metric is seasonally adjusted retail sales including automobiles and gasoline. Sales by this measure grew 3.4% year over year in June, slightly faster than the 2.7% growth rate seen in May. On a month-over-month basis and seasonally adjusted, retail sales declined 0.4% in June. [caption id="attachment_93074" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Data is seasonally adjusted
Source: US Census Bureau [/caption]   Retail Sales Growth by Sector Several sectors saw slower growth in June than in May, notably furniture and home furnishings; electronics and electric appliances; and, department stores. Clothing stores continued to post slow sales, down 1.6% year over year in June, but an improvement from May’s 2.3% decline. Nonstore retailers continued to post solid growth, growing 11.6% year on year versus 11.7% in May. [caption id="attachment_93075" align="aligncenter" width="700"] This data is not seasonally adjusted
Source: US Census Bureau [/caption]