by Calculated Risk on 3/14/2024 08:35:00 AM

On a monthly basis, retail sales were up 0.6% from January to February (seasonally adjusted), and sales were up 1.5 percent from February 2023.

From the Census Bureau report:

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for February 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $700.7 billion, up 0.6 percent from the previous month, and up 1.5 percent above February 2023. ... The December 2023 to January 2024 percent change was revised from down 0.8 percent to down 1.1 percent.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales and food service, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline).

Retail sales ex-gasoline were up 0.6% in February.

The second graph shows the year-over-year change in retail sales and food service (ex-gasoline) since 1993.

Retail and Food service sales, ex-gasoline, increased by 2.0% on a YoY basis.

The increase in sales in February was above expectations, however, sales in December and January were revised down.