Retail sales in the US recorded the biggest drop in more than a year in July as consumers reduced their spending at online stores and car dealerships. Unadjusted retail sales fell 0.6%, the biggest drop since May 2025, according to data released by the US Census Bureau on Friday. Excluding automobiles and gasoline, retail sales fell 0.2%. The report shows that after strong performance in the first half of 2026, consumers temporarily slowed their spending last month. However, some analysts have also warned that this data may be affected by early consumption because Amazon moved the Prime Day promotion from July to June of last year.

Retail sales in the US recorded the biggest drop in more than a year in July as consumers reduced their spending at online stores and car dealerships. Unadjusted retail sales fell 0.6%, the biggest drop since May 2025, according to data released by the US Census Bureau on Friday. Excluding automobiles and gasoline, retail sales fell 0.2%. The report shows that after strong performance in the first half of 2026, consumers temporarily slowed their spending last month. However, some analysts have also warned that this data may be affected by early consumption because Amazon moved the Prime Day promotion from July to June of last year.