The spending imbalance is at the highest levels it has been since Moody’s Analytics started collecting this data.

A separate report Tuesday from the National Retail Federation/CNBC and powered by Affinity Solutions, found that sales excluding autos and gasoline, which tend to be volatile month to month, grew by 0.5% in August. The gain was fueled by back-to-school shopping and seasonal discounts.

Retail sales rose at a brisk pace in August for the third month in a row, signaling that U.S. households continue to spend at healthy levels despite worries about lingering inflation and a softening labor market.

Key Takeaways A Federal Reserve interest rate decision comes Wednesday, followed by remarks from Chair Jerome Powell.Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers a keynote at the company's annual Meta Connect event.

The Census Bureau's Advance Retail Sales Report for August showed consumer spending was higher than expected, with headline sales

Tuesday's data on strong retail sales for August has arrived just as Federal Reserve officials are set to meet in Washington, and the report may be co

The Federal Reserve is expected this week to lower its key interest rate for the first time in 2025, and will also give its latest economic projections. Plus, monthly retail sales and earnings from companies including General Mills are due.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South African retail sales rose 5.6% year on year in July after rising by a revised 1.7% in June, Statistics South Africa figures showed on Wednesday. Seasonally adjusted retail sales rose 2.1% month on month in July.