NRF: Core retail sales inch up in January in fourth consecutive monthly gain

Article originally posted on HERE on February 19, 2026

Retail sales rose modestly in January as consumers continued to show resilience.

Core retail sales (excluding restaurants in addition to auto dealers and gas stations) edged up 0.15% month over month in January and were up 5.51% year over year, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, released Thursday by the National Retail Federation.

Total retail sales (including restaurants but excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations) rose 0.2% month over month and up 5.72% unadjusted year over year in January, according to the Retail Monitor. That compared with increases of 1.26% month over month and 3.54% year over year in December.

“This was the fourth consecutive month that sales rose from the month before, and year-over-year gains were particularly strong,” said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay. “Consumer spending continues to drive the broader economy forward, supported by healthy household finances and real wage gains that have increased purchasing power.

Unlike survey-based numbers collected by the Census Bureau, the Retail Monitor uses actual, anonymized credit and debit card purchase data compiled by Affinity Solutions.

January sales were up in four categories on a monthly basis: clothing and accessories stores; digital products; health and personal care stores and grocery and beverage stores.

Specifics from key sectors are below.

•Clothing and accessories stores were up 0.23% month over month and up 9.39% year over year.

•Digital products (such as electronic books and games) were up 1.22% month over month and up 6.45% year over year.

•Health and personal care stores were up 0.66% month over month and up 5.98% year over year.

•General merchandise stores were down 0.05% month over month but up 5.46% year over year.

•Grocery and beverage stores were up 0.37% month over month and up 5.41% year over year.

•Sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores were down 0.37% month over month but up 4.94% year over year.

•Electronics and appliance stores were down 0.18% month over month but up 2.54% year over year.

•Furniture and home furnishings stores were down 0.31% month over month but up 2.39% year over year.

•Building and garden supply stores were down 0.15% month over month and down 6.26% year over year.