NRF: April 2026 retail sales continued to rise
Retail sales increased for the seventh consecutive month in April despite higher gas prices and ongoing inflation concerns, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor released by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Total retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations, increased 0.34% seasonally adjusted month over month and 5.73% year over year in April. That compared with gains of 0.4% month over month and 6.59% year over year in March.
Core retail sales, which exclude restaurants in addition to auto dealers and gas stations, also rose 0.34% month over month and were up 5.53% year over year. In March, core sales increased 0.41% month over month and 7.05% year over year.
According to NRF, total retail sales increased 6.07% year over year during the first four months of 2026, while core sales rose 5.99%.
“Retail sales continued to grow in April despite higher gas prices driven by the ongoing conflict in Iran, cautious consumer sentiment and the persistent concerns about sustained inflation,” Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF, said.
The Retail Monitor reported that sales increased year over year in eight of nine retail categories and rose month over month in eight categories as well. The data is based on anonymized credit and debit card purchase information compiled by Affinity Solutions rather than survey-based estimates.
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