WASHINGTON—Retail sales were virtually unchanged from their strong performance a month before and grew dramatically year-over-year in April as the rapidly recovering U.S. economy marked a full year since the coronavirus pandemic shut down most stores during the spring of 2020, the National Retail Federation said today. “In March, we saw a surge in spending as stimulus checks came in, and that spending declined slightly in April,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Year-over-year growth of 28.8 percent demonstrates that household finances remain strong, and the economic recovery will likely continue to gain steam as we head into the summer months. 

“Consumers are demonstrating that when they feel safe, they are both willing and able to spend and are driving the economy forward. The CDC’s updated guidance for fully vaccinated individuals will help further open the economy and get more people back to work. Retailers will continue to follow coronavirus-related laws and regulations governing store operations in each state and we urge lawmakers and government officials to prioritize policies that both encourage work and continued safety.”

The U.S. Census Bureau today said overall retail sales in April were unchanged seasonally adjusted from March but up 51.2 percent year-over-year. That compares with increases of 10.1 percent month-over-month and 29 percent year-over-year in March. The year-over-year increases for both March and April were unusually high because most stores were ordered to close beginning in mid-March last year. Despite occasional month-over-month declines, sales have grown year-over-year every month since June 2020, according to Census data.

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