Retail sales unexpectedly showed a modest increase in the month of February, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday, with the unexpected growth partly due to a jump in sales by electronics and appliance stores.
The report showed that retail sales rose by 0.3 percent in February following a downwardly revised 0.1 percent increase in January. The sales growth came as a surprise to economists, who had expected sales to edge down by 0.2 percent compared to the 0.5 percent growth originally reported for the previous month.
Excluding a 2.0 percent drop in sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers, sales increased by a somewhat more substantial 0.8 percent in February compared to a 0.5 percent increase in the previous month. Economists had expected ex-auto sales to edge up by 0.1 percent.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.