Key Points
Retail sales rebounded in August following a sharp decline in July.
- While rising energy prices weighed on real income growth in 2026, personal consumption – which accounts for over 2/3 of GDP – has generally held up.
Retail and Food Services Sales
Nationally the pace of residential housing permit issuance is up by 3.5% from last year, though issuance has generally slowed across the Sunbelt where supply conditions are somewhat looser.
Year-over-Year Change in Cumulative Residential Permit Issuance
