US Retail Sales rise 1.7% in March vs. 1.4% expected

Retail Sales in the US rose more than expected in March.
US Dollar Index stays in positive territory above 98.00.

Eren Sengezer FXStreet

Retail Sales in the United States (US) rose 1.7% to $752.1 billion in March, the US Census Bureau reported on Tuesday. This print followed the 0.7% increase (revised from 0.6%) recorded in February and surpassed the market expectation of 1.4%. On a yearly basis, Retail Sales were up 4%, matching February's print.

"Total sales for the January 2026 through March 2026 period were up 3.7 percent (±0.4 percent) from the same period a year ago," the press release read. "Retail trade sales were up 1.9 percent (±0.5 percent) from February 2026, and up 4.2 percent (±0.5 percent) from last year."

Market reaction

The US Dollar (USD) Index edged slightly with the immediate reaction and was last seen rising 0.2% on the day at 98.25.

Author

Eren Sengezer

FXStreet

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

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