Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for March 2018, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $494.6 billion, an increase of 0.6 percent from the previous month, and 4.5 percent above March 2017. Total sales for the January 2018 through March 2018 period were up 4.1 percent from the same period a year ago. The January 2018 to February 2018 percent change was unrevised from down 0.1 percent.

Retail trade sales were up 0.6 percent from February 2018, and 4.7 percent above last year. Gasoline Stations were up 9.7 percent (±1.6 percent) from March 2017, while Nonstore Retailers were up 9.7 percent (±1.4 percent) from last year.