US retail sales slowed in June, marking the first monthly decline since February, as consumer sentiment remained cautious amid ongoing concerns about trade policies and tariffs, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor powered by Affinity Solutions.
The data, released by the National Retail Federation (NRF), showed total retail sales (excluding automobiles and gasoline) fell 0.33% month-on-month, though they rose 3.19% compared to June 2024. Core retail sales (excluding restaurants, automobiles, and fuel) dropped 0.32% over May but posted a 3.36% year-on-year increase.
“June’s numbers indicate that prolonged uncertainty surrounding the economy, tariffs and trade policy could be pushing consumers to adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ approach with their household budgets,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Economic fundamentals haven’t been disrupted yet and shoppers still have the ability to spend on priorities, but the economy is gradually slowing and there has been an impact on the psyche of consumers.”
The slowdown followed a more positive May, when retail sales had risen 0.49% month-on-month and 4.44% year-on-year. For the first half of 2025, total retail sales grew 4.66% year-on-year, while core sales climbed 4.93%.