Moderate retail sales in February

we Retail sales He recovered in February, indicating that the economy continued to grow in the first quarter, despite a moderate pace with the tariffs of definitions on the masses and mass firefighters of workers in the federal government.

The Ministry of Commerce Statistics Office said on Monday that retail sales increased by 0.2 % last month after a decrease of 1.2 % in January. Economists of Reuters expect retail sales, which are mostly goods It was not seized for inflation, Apply 0.6 % after a decrease in advance by 0.9 % in January.

This decline followed huge gains in the fourth and winter storms in many parts of the country in January, as well as forest fires in California.

The inflation slowed slightly to 2.8 % in February before the Federal Reserve meeting

But with consumer feelings sinking at the lowest level at 2-1/2 years in March, the momentum is unlikely to continue.

president Donald Trump A group of customs tariffs, which launched a commercial war, ignited concerns about inflation as well as jobs and income, and developments that could reduce consumer spending. The collective public workers administration is also seen as part of an unprecedented campaign by the Trump administration to reduce the federal government to harm spending.

Treasury Minister Bessin: “I am not concerned about inflation” from the definitions

The Bank of America card data showed early signs to reduce appreciation spending such as restaurants in February in the Washington area of ​​urban capital, which includes parts of Maryland and Virginia. The sale of the stock market may reduce spending, often driven by high -income families, while high food prices can pressure low -income families.

Treasury Secretary Scott Pessant said in early this month that the economy may slow down while moving from public spending towards more special spending, describing it as a “period of toxins disposal.”

Retail sales with the exception of cars, gasoline, building materials and food services increased by 1.0 % in February after a decrease of 1.0 % in January. These basic retail sales are closely compatible with the consumer spending component in GDP.

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Economists expected that basic retail sales rise by 0.3 % after a 0.8 % decrease in January. They expect Consumer spending To slowly slow down in the first quarter of the strong annual average of 4.2 % from October to December.

The Federal Reserve in Atlanta is currently expecting to contract with GDP at a rate of 2.4 %. But the estimates of most economists converge around a growth rate of 1.2 % in this quarter. The economy grew at a pace of 2.3 % in the fourth quarter.