A enjoyment sports car sits on display in a dealership in Manhattan on November 30, 2017 in New York City.
Spencer Platt | Getty Figure of speeches
U.S. retail sales rose moderately in August, driven higher by a jump in auto buying and healthy online trades. But there were also signs that consumers have become more cautious.
The Commerce Department avers retail sales increased 0.4% last month, down from a healthy 0.8% in July. Excluding autos, sales were unchanged for the at the start time since February.
The modest slowdown follows signs that consumer confidence, while still uncompromising, has slipped a bit as the U.S.-China trade war has intensified. U.S. businesses have cut back on their investment and expansion plans amid the business war’s uncertainty and exports have declined. That has left consumers as a key source of growth.
Online sales continued to increase, rising 1.6%, roughly the same amount as in July, when Amazon held its Prime Day.