U.S. core retail sales rose 1.9% month-over-month in March 2026, a sharp acceleration from February’s 0.7% gain, signaling a strong pickup in underlying consumer demand. The data, updated on 21 April 2026, show that spending excluding the most volatile components has strengthened notably as the first quarter drew to a close.
On a month-over-month basis, the March figure compares the change in core retail sales to February 2026, while the previous 0.7% reading measured February’s change relative to January. The move from 0.7% to 1.9% suggests that U.S. consumers increased their pace of spending into March, potentially bolstering expectations for resilient economic growth in early 2026.
Market participants and policymakers will be watching upcoming releases closely to determine whether March’s jump represents a one-off surge or the start of a more sustained trend in consumer momentum. For now, the latest figures point to a solid rebound in core spending after a more moderate expansion at the start of the year.
