Retail sales up 0.6% in August from July even as tariffs hurt jobs and lead to price hikes

Retail sales up 0.6% in August from July even as tariffs hurt jobs and lead to price hikes 24 mins ago Shoppers increased their spending at a better-than-expected pace in August from July, helped by back-to-school purchases, even as President Donald Trump’s tariffs are starting to hurt the job market and lead to price hikes. The performance was also helped by the continued efforts by Americans to keep pushing up purchases ahead of expected price increases. Retail sales rose 0.6% last month from July, when sales were up a revised 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department’s report released Tuesday.