WASHINGTON — After an earlier pullback, consumers picked up their spending in June despite anxiety over tariffs and the state of the U.S. economy.
Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in June after declining 0.9% in May, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Sales in April fell 0.1%, pulled down by a steep drop in auto sales, after Americans ramped up their car-buying in March to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s 25% duty on imported cars and car parts.
Excluding autos and automotive parts, sales rose 0.5%, according to the Commerce Department.
There was broad-based strength across the board. Clothing and accessories sales rose 0.9%, while health and personal care sales saw a 0.5% bump. Restaurants sales rose 0.6% , while online retailers recorded a 0.4% gain. Autos and automotive parts dealers rebounded with a 1.2% increase.
There were a few weak spots like electronics and appliance retailers and department