Core retail sales in the United States showed no growth in January 2026, holding at 0.0% month-over-month, according to data updated on 6 March 2026. This follows an identical 0.0% month-over-month reading in December 2025, indicating two consecutive months of flat underlying consumer spending.
Measured on a month-over-month basis, the “actual” January figure compares the change in core retail sales to December, while the “previous” figure reflects December’s change versus November. The back-to-back zero readings suggest that, excluding volatile components, consumer demand has been stable but lacks clear momentum as the new year begins. Investors and policymakers may view this plateau as a signal that household spending is neither weakening sharply nor accelerating, leaving the broader economic trajectory dependent on developments in other key sectors.
