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U.S. retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations, increased 0.22% on a seasonally adjusted basis in August and were up 3.87% from a year earlier, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. The report marked the 11th consecutive month of gains, though August’s monthly increase was smaller than July’s.
U.S. retail sales rose 0.22% in August from July, extending the run of monthly gains to 11 consecutive months, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. The seasonally adjusted measure excludes automobile dealers and gasoline stations; it was also 3.87% higher than in August 2025.
The August figures show a continued increase, but at a slower monthly pace than in July. Retail sales on the same basis rose 0.32% month over month in July and were 5.15% above July 2025, the report said. The August year-over-year increase was also smaller than July’s.
A narrower measure, called core retail sales, also increased in August. It excludes restaurants as well as auto dealers and gasoline stations. Core sales rose 0.17% month over month and 3.47% year over year. In July, that measure had increased 0.3% from June and 4.72% from a year earlier.
The Retail Monitor’s reported measures are seasonally adjusted. The August report does not provide dollar totals in the supplied material, so the percentages describe changes rather than the amount consumers spent. The figures also cover different baskets: the broader measure includes restaurants, while the core measure does not.
August Gains Slowed From July
The 11-month sequence indicates that sales in the report’s defined categories have continued to grow month to month. It offers a timely reading of consumer spending, which retailers use to gauge demand and plan inventory, promotions and staffing. The August increase was positive, but its 0.22% monthly rise was below July’s 0.32%, so the consecutive-gain count alone does not show whether growth is strengthening.
The year-over-year figures provide another comparison: sales excluding auto dealers and gas stations were up 3.87% from August 2025, while core sales were up 3.47%. These rates refer to their respective baskets and comparison period. The report does not establish what caused the changes or whether the pace will continue.
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Two Measures Track Spending
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor is released by the National Retail Federation. The supplied report identifies two related measures. The broader retail-sales figure excludes automobile dealers and gasoline stations but includes restaurants. The core figure additionally excludes restaurants. Neither figure represents all consumer spending across the economy.
For both measures, the report compares August with July on a seasonally adjusted basis and with August a year earlier. On the broader measure, July’s increases were 0.32% month over month and 5.15% year over year. Core sales rose 0.3% month over month and 4.72% year over year in July. August’s figures were lower on both comparisons for each measure.
Drivers and Future Pace Remain Open
The report gives sales changes but does not quantify how much back-to-school promotions, employment, wage growth or household budgets contributed to August’s result. Those explanations appear in Shay’s comments and are not broken out as measured causes in the supplied figures.
It is also unclear from the report excerpt whether the 11-month run will continue, how August sales performed across individual retail categories, or how the figures may be revised. No dollar totals or category-level breakdowns were provided in the source material.
Upcoming Reports Will Add Detail
Future releases of the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor will show whether monthly gains continue and how year-over-year growth changes. Readers can compare the same two measures over time, keeping in mind that the core measure excludes restaurants and the broader measure does not. The supplied report does not state a date for the next release.
Further reporting or later data releases may clarify category performance and the factors behind consumer spending. Until then, the confirmed August result is a modest monthly increase, with both monthly and annual growth rates below their reported July levels.
Key Questions
How much did retail sales rise in August?
Sales excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations rose 0.22% from July on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.
What does the 11-month streak refer to?
It refers to consecutive monthly gains in the Retail Monitor’s reported retail-sales measure. The supplied report does not give the size of each earlier monthly increase.
How did August compare with a year earlier?
The measure excluding auto dealers and gasoline stations was 3.87% higher than in August 2025. Core retail sales, which also exclude restaurants, were up 3.47% year over year.
Why is the core-sales figure different?
Core retail sales exclude restaurants, auto dealers and gasoline stations. The broader figure in the report excludes auto dealers and gasoline stations but includes restaurants, so the measures cover different categories.
What did the report say drove the increase?
NRF chief executive Matthew Shay cited low unemployment, steady wage gains and back-to-school promotions. The supplied report does not quantify how much each factor contributed to the sales changes.
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