Why it matters
- U.S. retail and food services sales rose 0.8% in September to $745.0 billion, and were up 6.3% from a year earlier, the Census Bureau said Thursday, Oct. 15.
- Sales at gasoline stations rose 6.4% in the month. Excluding autos and gas, sales rose 0.2%, the Census Bureau said.
- August's gain was revised up to 1.3% from 1.1%. The figures are not adjusted for price changes, so higher prices account for part of the rise.
U.S. retail and food services sales rose 0.8% in September to $745.0 billion, the Census Bureau said Thursday, Oct. 15, as sales at gasoline stations jumped 6.4%. Sales were up 6.3% from September 2025.
The bureau also revised August's gain up to 1.3% from 1.1%. The estimates are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes.
How much did retail sales rise without gas and autos?
Much less. Excluding gasoline stations, sales rose 0.2% in September, and excluding both motor vehicles and gas stations they also rose 0.2%, the Census Bureau said. Excluding only motor vehicles and parts, sales rose 0.9%.
That gap shows how much of the headline gain came from fuel. For Wednesday's inflation data, see our September CPI report.
September retail sales by category
| Category | Change from August | Change from Sept. 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total retail and food services | +0.8% | +6.3% |
| Excluding motor vehicles and parts | +0.9% | +7.2% |
| Excluding autos and gas stations | +0.2% | +5.0% |
| Gasoline stations | +6.4% | +28.1% |
| Food services and drinking places | +1.1% | +7.0% |
| Nonstore retailers | +0.3% | +8.2% |
| Motor vehicles and parts dealers | +0.2% | +2.5% |
| General merchandise stores | -0.1% | +4.2% |
| Building materials and garden | -0.6% | +4.5% |
| Miscellaneous store retailers | -3.0% | +10.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, September 2026.
Total sales for July through September were up 5.5% from the same period a year earlier, the bureau said. The monthly gain of 0.8% carries a margin of plus or minus 0.4 percentage point.
How did markets react?
Little change. The 10-year Treasury yield was about 5.06% at 8:39 a.m. ET, near its level just before the 8:30 a.m. release and below Wednesday's close of 5.19%, according to Yahoo Finance data. S&P 500 futures were at about 7,746.5 at 8:44 a.m. ET, down about 0.3% from Wednesday's close of 7,770.25.
The next advance retail sales report, for October, is scheduled for Nov. 17, the Census Bureau said. For more on the economy, see our Fed Beige Book coverage and the economy section.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, September 2026 (CB26-165, Oct. 15, 2026)
- Yahoo Finance, chart data for 10-year Treasury yield (^TNX) and S&P 500 futures (ES=F)
