Total retail sales improved 0.1% (6.6% y/y) during August following a 0.7% July gain, revised from 0.5%. A 0.4% increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, retail sales increased 0.3% (7.3% y/y) after a 0.9% rise, revised from 0.6%. A 0.5% gain had been expected. A measure of the underlying pace of retail spending is nonauto sales growth excluding gasoline and building materials. These sales increased 0.1% in August (5.3% y/y) following a 0.8% rise.

Sales patterns amongst categories were mixed last month. Nonstore retail sales rose 0.7% (9.3% y/y) after a 1.5% gain. General merchandise store sales nudged 0.1% higher (4.6% y/y) after a 1.0% strengthening. Electronics & appliance store sales increased 0.4% (4.1% y/y) and reversed July's decline. Gasoline station sales surged 1.7% (20.3% y/y), with higher prices, following a 0.8% gain. Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores sales rose 0.2% (-4.0% y/y) after four months of decline. Building materials & garden equipment store sales were fairly steady (2.6% y/y) after a 0.1% uptick.

To the downside, clothing & accessory store sales declined 1.7% in August (+6.2% y/y) following a 2.2% rise. Also weak were sales of furniture & home furnishing stores which fell 0.3% (+3.9% y/y) following no change.

Sales of nondiscretionary items also were mixed last month. Food & beverages store sales held steady (4.9% y/y) after a 0.8% rise. Health & personal care product store sales increased 0.5% (5.4% y/y) after a 0.3% improvement.

Restaurant & drinking establishment sales gained 0.2% (10.1% y/y) after three months of strong increase.

The retail sales data can be found in Haver's USECON database. The Action Economics forecast is in the AS1REPNA database.