Revision History

U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% in February 2026, beating the consensus forecast of 0.4-0.5%, driven by a rebound in auto sales and broad gains across department stores, clothing, and personal care. However, the headline strength masks a more nuanced picture: January's figures were revised to show a smaller decline, rising credit card delinquencies among lower-income consumers raise durability questions, and analysts debate whether tariff-related front-loading of purchases artificially inflated the numbers.