IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
February was a good month for U.S. retail, with increased sales month-over-month and year-over-year.
Not counting automobile dealerships and gasoline stations, sales were up 0.28 percent from January and up 6.2 percent compared with February 2025, according to the National Retail Federation.
The January-February numbers are seasonally adjusted, the year-over-year numbers are not.
Core retail sales, which leaves out restaurants along with auto and gasoline sales, rose 0.2 percent month over month in February and 5.8 percent year-over-year.
“Consumer spending grew once again in February, supported by continued wage gains and overall low unemployment levels,” said Matthew Shay, the federation’s president and chief executive officer, in a statement.
“This was the fifth consecutive month that sales rose from the month before, and year-over-year gains were strong. With renewed fighting in the Middle East and its impact on global economies, retailers remain heavily focused on delivering products at competitive prices.”
