NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers slowed their spending in June from May as amid continuing economic uncertainty and fading benefits from generous government tax refunds.
Retail sales rose 0.2% in June, after being up a revised 1% in May, according to the Commerce Department’s report released on Thursday.
Excluding business at gas stations, retail sales were up 0.7%
Business at clothing and accessories stores slipped 0.3%, while online sales rose 1.9% fueled by spending surrounding Amazon’s Prime Day event, which was held from June 23 through June 26.
The data offers only a snapshot of consumer spending and doesn’t include activities like travel and hotel stays. The lone services category – restaurants – registered a 0.1% increase.
The report comes as U.S. inflation cooled last month as the cost of , clothes, and used cars fell, offering some relief to consumers, while underlying price pressures also slowed more than anticipated.
Gas prices fell to $3.94 per gallon on Thursday, down from $4.04 a month ago, according to motor club AAA.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
