US Retail Sales Exceed Forecasts in September, Driven by Gasoline Receipts

• US retail sales rose 0.8% in September, beating 0.3% forecast.
• Gasoline receipts boosted the headline figure, but the retail control group missed estimates.
• August sales were revised upward to 1.3%.

United States retail sales in September advanced by 0.8% month-over-month, considerably exceeding the 0.3% increase anticipated by economists. Data released on Thursday by the Commerce Department also showed an upward revision for August sales, which climbed by 1.3%. While the headline figure was strong, spending at gasoline stations played a significant role, with sales excluding autos rising by 0.9% against a 0.5% forecast. However, the retail control group, a key component for GDP calculations, registered a modest 0.1% gain, falling short of the 0.3% expectation, indicating mixed underlying consumer demand beyond fuel.