Retail sales fall while inflation rises

On July 13, 2026, NotiCel reports that April retail sales fell against the same month of the previous year, while the Department of Labor's general consumer price index for that month registered 143.167, an increase relative to March 2025, 140.874. The data come from DDEC's Retail Sales Report. April 2026 sales were $4,261.9 million, a 2.2 percent drop. April's adjusted unemployment was estimated at 5.6 percent, the same as March.

The CPI groups that rose, according to DTRH, were Transportation 6.3 percent; Food and Beverages 0.7; Education and Communication 0.5; Medical Care 0.3; Entertainment 0.2; and Housing 0.1. Apparel and Other Articles held steady. In sales, the larger increases: shoe stores 9.7 percent; clothing 9.1; cosmetics 8.7; specialty foods 6.1; hardware stores 3.1. The larger drops: motor vehicles 14.5 percent; electronics 9.6; restaurants 9.5; gas stations 9.1; fuel distributors 7.2. SMEs sold $2,032.6 million, 5.9 percent less at an annual rate; small firms 15.1 percent less and medium firms 2.2 percent more. SMEs were 47.7 percent of sales, against 49.6 the prior year. The fiscal 2026 cumulative (July-April) rose 1.0 percent, to $43,272.5 million. The four-month calendar cumulative fell 1.4 percent.

The July pick left out an older print of sales at 1.4 percent through April. This note is the July 13 sales-and-inflation package. On July 30, Sin Comillas covered June inflation at 4.2 percent. Two months, two URLs. The reader who wants the DDEC report has the NotiCel URL at the foot.

Source: NotiCel. https://noticel.com/ultima-hora/20260713/bajan-las-ventas-al-detal-mientras-sube-la-inflacion/