Retail sales up a surprising 0.6% in June after a May pullback by consumers

Published 7:11 am Thursday, July 17, 2025

After an earlier pullback, consumers picked up their spending in June showing resilience despite anxiety high over tariffs and the U.S. economy. Retail sales rose 0.6% in June after declining a 0.9% in May, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Sales in April were down 0.1%, pulled down by a steep drop in auto sales, after Americans ramped up their car-buying in March to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s 25% duty on imported cars and car parts.Excluding autos and automotive parts, sales rose 0.5%.

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