Retail Sales increased 1.9% in September

On a monthly basis, retail sales increased 1.9 percent from August to September (seasonally adjusted), and sales were up 5.4 percent from September 2019.

From the Census Bureau report:

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for September 2020, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $549.3 billion, an increase of 1.9 percent from the previous month, and 5.4 percent above September 2019.
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 1.9% in September.


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 6.8% on a YoY basis.

The increase in September was above expectations, and sales in July and August were revised up, combined.