FX.co ★ US Retail Sales Soar 1.4%

In March 2025, retail sales in the United States experienced a notable surge of 1.4% compared to the previous month, surpassing the 0.2% growth seen in February and slightly exceeding predictions of a 1.3% increase. This represents the most significant rise in retail sales since January 2023, predominantly fueled by a 5.3% boost in motor vehicle and parts sales, as consumers expedited their purchases in anticipation of upcoming auto tariffs. When excluding automobile sales, retail sales grew by 0.5%. Notable growth was recorded in several sectors: building materials and garden equipment (up 3.3%); sporting goods, hobby, musical instruments, and bookstores (up 2.4%); food services and drinking establishments (up 1.8%); electronics and appliances (up 0.8%); miscellaneous store retailers (up 0.7%); health and personal care stores (up 0.7%); general merchandise retailers (up 0.6%); clothing retailers (up 0.4%); and food and beverage outlets (up 0.2%). Conversely, retail sales saw a decline at gasoline stations, which fell by 2.5%, and furniture stores, which dipped by 0.7%. Additionally, sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials, and gasoline stations, which are critical in GDP calculations, increased by 0.4%.