by Calculated Risk on 5/14/2021 08:43:00 AM

On a monthly basis, retail sales were unchanged from March to April (seasonally adjusted), and sales were up 51.2 percent from April 2020.

From the Census Bureau report:

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for April 2021, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $619.9 billion, virtually unchanged from the previous month, and 51.2 percent above April 2020. ... The February 2021 to March 2021 percent change was revised from up 9.7 percent to up 10.7 percent.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales and food service, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline).

Retail sales ex-gasoline were up 0.1% in April.

The stimulus checks boosted retail sales significantly in March and April.

The second graph shows the year-over-year change in retail sales and food service (ex-gasoline) since 1993.

Retail and Food service sales, ex-gasoline, increased by 49.5% on a YoY basis.

Sales in April were slightly below expectations, however sales in March were revised up (February was revised down).