March Retail Surge Hides Warning Signs For Consumers
2026-04-22·via All Articles on Seeking Alpha
Summary
US retail sales rose in March, beating expectations and posting the strongest increase in more than three years.
The Visa Spending Momentum Index rose to its highest level in four years in March.
March spending was clearly affected by higher gas prices and broader price pressures that boosted nominal sales but strained household budgets.
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US retail sales rose in March, beating expectations and posting the strongest increase in more than three years, but a significant portion of the spending was driven by gasoline sales—an effect of the spike in energy costs
