US retail sales, 1992 to 2026
US retail sales stood at $768,553 in 2026, up 0.2% on the previous period.
The latest reading is $763.7 billion a month, for May 2026, against $757 billion a month in April 2026. The series is monthly (FRED series RSAFS) and runs from January 1992.
How it is measured
Total sales at retail stores and food services, from the Census Bureau's monthly survey of retailers, seasonally adjusted, in millions of dollars. It is the fastest broad read on consumer spending, published about two weeks after each month ends. The data reaches us through FRED, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis's data service, and originates with the Census Bureau's Monthly Retail Trade Survey.
What the curve shows
Retail and food-service sales ran at $763.7 billion in May 2026, against $159.2 billion at the window's start. The series is nominal, so inflation flows straight through it: a flat line during high inflation means real volumes are falling.
Is this all consumer spending?
Why is it seasonally adjusted?
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