Retail sales rose for the ninth consecutive month in May as a steady labor market, and summer deals offset ongoing economic concerns, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor released by the National Retail Federation. The effects of a Juneteenth holiday falling on a Friday and creating another three-day weekend for the retail month of June – which ran through July 4 this year – also provided a year-over-year (y/y) boost for retailers and restaurants even as falling gas prices cut into some top-line trends in the month-over-month (m/m) assessment of the business.

Total retail sales, excluding auto dealers and gas stations, were up 0.33 percent seasonally-adjusted m/m and up 9.41 percent unadjusted y/y in June, according to the Retail Monitor. That compares with increases of 0.42 percent month-over-month (m/m) and 7.19 percent year-over-year (y/y) versus May 2026 sales.

“The summer shopping season got off to a strong start in June,” commented NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Consumers took advantage of summer sales events, and many got an early jump on back-to-school shopping. The willingness to spend on retail goods has been supported by the retail industry’s laser focus on affordability and a durable labor market. Year-over-year gains look particularly strong compared with a weak June 2025.”

The Retail Monitor calculation of core retail sales (excluding restaurants, auto dealers and gas stations) was up 0.36 percent m/m in June and up 10.08 percent y/y. That compared with increases of 0.39 percent m/m and 6.98 percent y/y in May.

NRF said the unusually large year-over-year increases were due to comparisons against slow sales in June 2025. Calculated on a seasonally-adjusted basis to compensate, Total Sales were up 4.26 percent, and Core Sales were up 4.23 percent.

Unadjusted Total Sales were up 6.81 percent y/y during the first half of the year, and Core Sales were up 6.84 percent.

Unlike survey-based numbers collected by the Census Bureau, the Retail Monitor is said to use actual, anonymized credit and debit card purchase data compiled by Affinity Solutions and does not require monthly or annual revisions.

June sales were up across the board on a yearly basis, led by sporting goods, electronics and clothing stores, and were up in all but two of nine categories on a month-over-month basis.

Specifics from key sectors include: 

  • Sporting goods, hobby, music, and book stores were up 0.45 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 18.53 percent y/y unadjusted.
  • Clothing and accessories stores, which also covers footwear stores, were up 0.63 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 13.65 percent y/y, unadjusted.
  • General merchandise stores were up 0.29 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 9.9 percent y/y, unadjusted.
  • Electronics and appliance stores were down 0.01 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, but up 14.16 percent y/y, unadjusted.
  • Digital products (such as electronic books and games) were up 1.25 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 13.56 percent y/y, unadjusted.
  • Health and personal care stores were up 0.5 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 12.87 percent y/y unadjusted.
  • Grocery and beverage stores were up 0.25 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 5.26 percent y/y unadjusted.
  • Furniture and home furnishings stores were down 0.16 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, but up 4.92 percent y/y, unadjusted.
  • Building and garden supply stores were up 0.06 percent m/m, seasonally-adjusted, and up 4.04 percent y/y, unadjusted.

AI image provided under license with AdobeStock. Data/Chart courtesy CNBC, NRF and Affinity Solutions