AI Data Insight
The latest Q2 2026 retail sales data reached 763,705 million USD, growing by approximately 0.87% from the previous value of 757,085 million USD. The increase not only outperformed the market consensus of 0.5% but also hit a significant new high. Driven by rising oil prices pushed by geopolitical factors, a substantial surge in gas station sales served as a major tailwind; however, core sales excluding volatile items also performed steadily. Looking ahead, the resilient consumer data is expected to support the US economy, but it may also prompt the Federal Reserve to maintain higher interest rate levels to combat inflation.