United States August retail sales saw modest gains, according to data issued today by the Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau. Total retail sales from June through August saw a 4.5% increase over the same period a year ago. Commerce reported that retail trade sales increased 0.6% over July and 4.8% annually, and non-store retailers, which includes e-commerce, posted an 10.1% annual gain. The recently-released CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, in partnership with Affinity Solutions, also highlighted August retail sales growth. Through the first eight months of 2025, CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor said that total sales were up 5.08% annually, with core sales seeing a 5.27% gain.