February saw a modest 0.2% increase in US retail sales, following a significant 1.2% decline in January, suggesting consumers are increasingly cautious. While grocery, home, and online sales increased, declines in auto, restaurant, and electronics sales were noted. A growing sense of uncertainty, fueled by stock market fluctuations and political events, has raised consumer wariness; sentiment surveys show a sharp decline. Hiring remains stable, yet many consumers express feeling strained, impacting spending behavior and outlook.
Retail sales rose just 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, signaling cautious spending amid economic uncertainty.
The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and President Trump's tariff threats have led to uncertainty.
A measure of consumer sentiment fell sharply for the third straight month, down more than 20% since December, reflecting growing consumer pessimism.
Despite decreased spending, hiring has mostly held up, indicating that as long as Americans have jobs, spending may show signs of resilience.
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