US retail sales rose for the 12th consecutive month in September, increasing 4.05% year on year to US$ 560.8 billion, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor released by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Core retail sales, excluding automobiles, petrol stations and restaurants, grew 3.73% year on year to US$ 453.1 billion. Electronics and appliances led category growth, rising 8.41%, while furniture and home furnishings declined 2.7%.
Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the NRF, said, “Retail sales rose again last month as consumers continued to spend following a solid back-to-school shopping season.” He added that households remained budget conscious, focusing on everyday essentials as higher petrol prices absorbed a greater share of family spending. Retailers continued to use promotions and value pricing to maintain affordability.
The September report introduced an enhanced methodology using anonymised debit and credit card data from approximately 120 million cards. The NRF cautioned that the revised figures are not directly comparable with Retail Monitor data published before September 2026.