Decline in Retail Sales Eased in May, Mastercard Data Shows

American shoppers, all dressed up with nowhere to go, started spending at closer to normal levels again last month.

U.S. retail sales, including online and in-person transactions, fell 5.6% in May from a year ago, according to a new study from Mastercard SpendingPulse. That’s an improvement from the 14.1% drop it recorded the previous month. The credit-card company uses payments in its network and surveys to review spending levels worldwide.