IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The retail sector of the economy rose for the 13th consecutive month in October, boosted by strong Halloween spending and some early Christmas sales.
Total retail sales, not counting automobile dealerships and gasoline stations, totaled $561.7 billion last month, essentially unchanged month over month but up 3.5 year over year, according to the National Retail Federation.
That compared with $560.8 billion in September, which was up slightly month over month and up four percent year over year.
Those numbers were gathered by Affinity Solutions, a New York-based marketing company. They are all seasonally adjusted.
“Households are managing budgets carefully, timing purchases around special offers and sales events in order to stretch their dollars,” said Matthew Shay, the federation’s president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “Retailers continue to offer promotions and value pricing to keep everyday items and holiday gifts affordable.”
Total sales were up 5.75 percent for the first 10 months of 2026, the federation reported.
