Current developments affecting consumer demand, e-commerce, inventory, pricing and labor across retail. Updated as the evidence changes.
U.S. retail and food-services sales rose 1.2% in August and were 6.0% above a year earlier.
AcceleratingE-commerceSecond-quarter e-commerce sales rose 12.2% year over year and accounted for 17.1% of total retail sales.
BuildingInventoryRetail inventories reached $838.5 billion in July, up 0.7% from June and 3.8% from a year earlier.
MixedLaborRetail employment changed little in August even as consumer spending strengthened.