Retail sales rise a meager 0.1% in May from April as still high inflation curbs spending

Retail sales rise a meager 0.1% in May from April as still high inflation curbs spending

Consumers barely increased spending in May from April as still high inflation and high interest rates curbed spending

ByANNE D'INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

June 18, 2024, 8:43 AM

NEW YORK -- Consumers barely increased spending in May from April as still high inflation and high interest rates curbed spending.

Retail sales rose 0.1% in May, below the pace that economists projected, according to the Commerce Department. And April sales were revised downward — a 0.2% decline, from unchanged. Sales rose 0.6% in March and 0.9% in February. That comes after sales fell 1.1% in January, dragged down in part by inclement weather.

Excluding gas prices and auto sales, retail sales rose the same amount. Excluding sales from autos and auto parts, sales were down 0.1%.

The retail sales data offers only a partial look at consumer spending because it excludes things like travel and lodging. However at restaurants, the lone service category tracked in the monthly retail sales report, sales fell 0.4% in May.