U.S. retail sales excluding gasoline and autos rose 0.3% month-over-month in January 2026, up from a 0.1% increase in December 2025, according to data updated on 6 March 2026. The improvement in this “core” retail measure points to a modest but firmer pace of consumer spending at the start of the year.
The comparison is made on a month-over-month basis, with January’s figure reflecting the change from December, while December’s previously reported 0.1% rise captured the change from November. The acceleration in January suggests that underlying demand outside the more volatile auto and fuel components is holding up, a trend closely watched by analysts for clues on the resilience of the U.S. consumer and broader economic momentum.
