US Retail Sales Drop for Second Month as Tariff Anxiety Sets In

US retail sales fell for a second straight month in May, suggesting anxiety over tariffs and personal finances prompted consumers to pull back after an early-year spending rush.

The value of retail purchases, not adjusted for inflation, decreased 0.9%, the most since the start of the year and restrained by autos, Commerce Department data showed Tuesday. That followed a downwardly revised 0.1% drop in April, marking the first back-to-back decline since the end of 2023.