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U.S. retail sales increased for a 12th consecutive month in September, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. Sales excluding auto dealers and gas stations reached $560.8 billion, while building and garden supply sales rose 2.66% from a year earlier. The report also says higher gasoline prices were weighing on household budgets.
U.S. retail sales rose for a 12th straight month in September, reaching $560.8 billion excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor released October 8 by the National Retail Federation. The report showed a 0.28% increase from August and a 4.05% rise from September 2025, while the NRF said higher gasoline prices were taking a larger share of household budgets.
The September monthly increase was slightly faster than August’s 0.22%, and the year-over-year gain also exceeded August’s 3.87%, according to the Retail Monitor. Both comparisons are seasonally adjusted. The figures describe sales in the categories included in the monitor, which excludes auto dealers and gas stations; they are not a measure of total consumer spending across every category.
A narrower measure, which also excludes restaurants, put September core retail sales at $453.1 billion. That was up 0.27% month over month and 3.73% year over year. In August, the same measure increased 0.17% from the prior month and 3.47% from a year earlier.
Building and garden supply stores recorded $44.0 billion in September sales, up 0.07% from August and 2.66% year over year. The report gives sales totals and growth rates, but does not provide further details on which products or customer groups drove the sector’s change.
Steady Spending Meets Budget Pressure
The 12-month run of growth indicates that measured retail sales continued to expand after September, despite reported pressure from fuel costs. For retailers, the figures offer a current reading of demand following the back-to-school shopping period. The NRF’s comments point to a consumer environment in which shoppers are spending but remain attentive to prices and household budgets.
That distinction matters: continued sales growth does not by itself show that consumers feel financially comfortable, nor does it reveal how much of the increase reflects higher prices rather than more goods being purchased. The report says retailers are using promotions and value pricing to keep everyday products accessible. The building and garden supply results may interest hardware and home-improvement businesses, although the modest monthly rise gives no indication of a broad surge in demand.
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How September Compared With August
The National Retail Federation released the September figures through its CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. The report describes September as the 12th consecutive month of growth, but the supplied material does not give the full monthly history of that streak. It also does not identify the specific September sales calendar dates or provide inflation-adjusted totals.
The monitor reports separate measures because some categories can move differently from others. Its headline total excludes automobile dealers and gasoline stations, while the core measure excludes restaurants as well. As a result, the two totals should not be treated as interchangeable or as a complete account of all consumer expenditures. For the home-improvement sector, the report’s building and garden supply category is the most directly relevant figure available.
What the Sales Figures Cannot Show
The figures do not establish whether September’s sales growth came from higher purchase volumes, price changes, or a combination of both. The source material also does not provide an inflation-adjusted measure, household spending breakdown, or regional results. While the NRF says gasoline prices are absorbing more of family budgets, it does not quantify that effect in the supplied report.
The 12-month streak refers to consecutive monthly sales growth, but the provided material does not spell out each month’s result or explain how the monitor handles revisions. September’s building and garden supply figures show a year-over-year increase, but there is not enough information here to determine which subsectors or products accounted for it.
Upcoming Retail Data to Watch
Readers can compare the next Retail Monitor release with September’s results to see whether the run of monthly gains continues and whether year-over-year growth accelerates or eases. The next report’s figures will also help show whether the spending pattern described by the NRF—continued purchases alongside attention to affordability—persists.
For hardware and home-improvement retailers, the next building and garden supply update will indicate whether September’s 2.66% year-over-year gain holds. The source material does not specify a release date for the next report, so its timing remains unconfirmed here.
Key Questions
How much did retail sales rise in September?
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor reported sales of $560.8 billion, excluding auto dealers and gasoline stations. That was up 0.28% from August and 4.05% from September 2025, seasonally adjusted.
What does the 12th month of growth refer to?
It means retail sales increased for 12 consecutive months, according to the National Retail Federation’s report. The supplied material does not include the month-by-month results for the full period.
How did building and garden supply sales perform?
September sales in the sector were $44.0 billion, up 0.07% from August and 2.66% year over year, according to the Retail Monitor.
Did the report say higher gas prices reduced retail sales?
No specific reduction was quantified. NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said higher gasoline prices were absorbing a larger share of family budgets, while the monitor still recorded overall sales growth.
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