US Retail Sales Rise in August

US retail sales grew in August, likely due to back-to-school shopping.

Revenue rose 1.2% – adjusted for seasonal variation – from the previous month to $773.9 billion, according to data the US Census Bureau released last week. Sales were up 6% from August 2025, while the June-to-August period also saw a 6% year-on-year increase.

Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation (NRF) has published its forecast for monthly cargo import volume.

Imports at the US’s major retail container ports are estimated to reach 2.3 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) in September, up 10% year on year and slightly surpassing July as the busiest month of the year.

“We thought the peak season would be mostly behind us by now, but that’s not the case,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy. “Some of the shift from earlier in the summer to now is because of vessel delays due to bad weather in China…. But consumers keep buying despite tariffs, inflation and high fuel prices, and retailers keep bringing in merchandise to meet demand.”

Global Port Tracker handled 2.3 million TEU in July, down 3.9% from the same period the previous year but 3.2% higher than June. It hasn’t reported the August figure yet, but it has projected the month will record 2.29 million TEU, down 1.3% year on year.

Cargo volume is forecast to decline to 2.11 million TEU in October after the September peak, although that will still represent a 1.7% year-on-year improvement. November is expected to reach 2 million TEU a 0.9% slip from a year earlier, while December is projected to come to 2.03 million TEU, up 1.1%. The figures would bring total 2026 cargo volume to 25.7 million TEU, a 1% increase from 25.4 million TEU in 2025. In the first half of this year volume totaled 12.7 million TEU, a 1.1% year-on-year gain.

Image: Shoppers at a mall. (Shutterstock)