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For additional information relating to this article, please contact:

Thomas Storring	Director – Economics and Statistics
Tel: 902-424-2410	Email: thomas.storring@novascotia.ca

March 16, 2021
US RETAIL SALES, FEBRUARY 2021

Month over month (February 2021, seasonally adjusted)

The US Census Bureau announced today that the advance estimates of U.S retail and food service sales decreased 3.0% ($17.4 billion) to $561.7 billion. Excluding food services and drinking places, retail trade sales decreased 3.1% ($16.1 billion). Food service and drinking place month-over-month receipts decreased 2.5% ($1.4 billion).                                                                                                  

Year-over-year (Feb-21 vs Feb-20, seasonally adjusted)

The United States Retail Trade and Food Services increased 6.3% ($33.1 billion). Retail trade increased 9.5% ($44.2 billion), food services and drinking places sales decreased 17.0% ($11.1 billion)

 

 

SECTOR ANALYSIS

Year-to-date (Jan-Feb 2021 vs Jan-Feb 2020, seasonally adjusted)

The United States Retail Trade and Food Services increased 7.9% ($83.4 billion) to $1,140.8 billion. Retail trade increased 11.3% ($104.4 billion), food services and drinking places sales decreased 16.1% ($21.0 billion). Sales were up in 9 of 13 retail categories, the fastest gains (in percentage terms) being reported in non-store retailers (30.0%). The largest declines (in percentage terms) were seen in food services (-16.1%).

Sectors that increased:

• Motor vehicle dealers increased 12.0% ($25.3 billion).
• Furniture stores increased 10.8% ($2.2 billion).
• Building materials stores increased 17.0% ($11.5 billion).
• Food and beverage stores increased 11.7% ($15.1 billion).
• Heath and personal care stores increased 6.4% ($3.8 billion).
• Sports and hobby stores increased 20.1% ($2.7 billion).
• General merchandise stores increased 7.0% ($8.4 billion).

Sectors that decreased:

• Electronics stores decreased 2.6% ($0.4 billion).
• Gasoline Stations decreased 2.1% ($1.7 billion).
• Clothing stores decreased 10.8% ($4.8 billion).

 

 

REFERENCE

US Census Bureau. retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis;

    Tables:      RSCCAS        Advance Retail Sales: Clothing and Clothing Accessory Stores

                    RSAFS           Advance Retail Sales: Retail and Food Services, Total

                    RSXFS           Advance Retail Sales: Retail (Excluding Food Services)

                    RSMVPD        Advance Retail Sales: Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers

                    RSFHFS         Advance Retail Sales: Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores

                    RSEAS           Advance Retail Sales: Electronics and Appliance Stores

                    RSBMGESD    Advance Retail Sales: Building Materials, Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers

                    RSDBS           Advance Retail Sales: Food and Beverage Stores

                    RSHPCS         Advance Retail Sales: Health and Personal Care Stores

                    RSGASS         Advance Retail Sales: Gasoline Stations

                    RSSGHBMS    Advance Retail Sales: Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book, and Music Stores

                    RSGMS          Advance Retail Sales: General Merchandise Stores

                    RSMSR          Advance Retail Sales: Miscellaneous Store Retailers

                    RSNSR           Advance Retail Sales: Nonstore Retailers

                    RSFSDP         Advance Retail Sales: Food Services and Drinking Places

 

 

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