Retail Sales Down in February by 0.4%

U.S. retail sales decreased slightly less than half a percent in February after jumping a revised 3.2 percent in January.

The Department of Commerce said Americans spent $697.9 billion at retail stores and online, down 0.4 percent from the previous month but up 5.4 percent since February 2022. The data also adjusted last month’s data to show Americans spent $700.7 billion in January 2023.

The sales figures are not adjusted for inflation, but the month-to-month statistics are seasonally adjusted.

The Department of Labor said this week that consumer prices were up 0.4 percent in February. Still, compared to a year ago, consumer prices are up six percent, lower than the 12-month gain of 6.4 percent recorded in January.

Bars and restaurants saw a 15.3 percent gain from February 2022. However, it is down 2.2 percent since January 2023. Meanwhile, general merchandise stores were up 10.5 percent since last year but down 0.5 percent since January.

Sales at auto dealers fell 1.8 percent from a month ago and are down 0.2 percent from a year ago.

Excluding autos, sales dropped 0.1 percent when compared with the previous month, and economists had expected this figure would rise by 0.2 percent. Excluding both autos and gas, sales remained the same from the last month.

Furniture store sales dropped 2.5 percent for the month before. Sales at electronics and appliance stores were up 0.3 percent. Building materials and garden center sales were down 0.1 percent. Grocery store sales were up 0.6 percent. Health and personal care store sales rose 0.9 percent.

Clothing store sales dropped 0.8 percent. Sporting goods and bookstores saw a 0.5 percent drop.

Department store sales rose four percent, and sales at general merchandise stores rose 0.5 percent.

Sales at gas stations were down 0.6 percent.

Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.