US retail sales rose a robust 1.7% month-over-month in March 2026, beating market expectations of a 1.4% gain and following an upwardly revised 0.7% increase in February. This was the strongest advance since March 2025, largely driven by a 15.5% jump in gasoline station receipts as fuel prices surged amid the escalating conflict with Iran.
Sales also increased across a broad range of categories, including motor vehicle and parts dealers (0.5%), furniture and home furnishing stores (2.2%), electronics and appliance stores (0.9%), building material and garden equipment suppliers (0.7%), food and beverage stores (0.7%), health and personal care stores (0.5%), general merchandise stores (1.0%), and nonstore retailers (1.0%).
Meanwhile, core retail sales—which exclude food services, auto dealers, building materials, and gasoline stations—rose 0.7%, well above the 0.2% increase forecast by analysts.
