Retail and food services sales in the U.S. fell 0.9% in May, following a 0.1% drop in April, according to the latest report of the U.S. Census Bureau.This marks the second and steepest decline of retail sales since January. Although sales dipped in May, they were 3.3% higher than May of last year.The figures above are adjusted for seasonal variation.The last time retail and food sales dropped was earlier this year in January by 1%.Overall, retail spending fell across most categories, with vehicle sales seeing the sharpest drop. In May, auto sales declined by approximately 3.5%. Back in March, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a 25% tariff on imports of automobiles and other automobile parts. In April, Trump signed an executive order easing some of the 25% tariffs on cars made with foreign parts but assembled in the U.S.Those automobile tariffs went into effect on May 3.The second category to see the largest decrease was building materials and garden, dropping by 2.7%. Gasoline stations also saw a decline of 2%. PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
WASHINGTON — Retail and food services sales in the U.S. fell 0.9% in May, following a 0.1% drop in April, according to the latest report of the U.S. Census Bureau.
This marks the second and steepest decline of retail sales since January. Although sales dipped in May, they were 3.3% higher than May of last year.
The figures above are adjusted for seasonal variation.
The last time retail and food sales dropped was earlier this year in January by 1%.
Overall, retail spending fell across most categories, with vehicle sales seeing the sharpest drop. In May, auto sales declined by approximately 3.5%.
Back in March, President Donald Trump signed a on imports of automobiles and other automobile parts. In April, Trump signed an executive order easing some of the 25% tariffs on cars made with foreign parts but assembled in the U.S.
Those automobile tariffs went into effect on May 3.
The second category to see the largest decrease was building materials and garden, dropping by 2.7%. Gasoline stations also saw a decline of 2%.
