Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for September 2018, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading‐day differences, but not for price changes, were $509.0 billion, an increase of 0.1 percent from the previous month, and 4.7 percent above September 2017. Total sales for the July 2018 through September 2018 period were up 5.9 percent from the same period a year ago. The July 2018 to August 2018 percent change was unrevised from up 0.1 percent.

Retail trade sales were up 0.4 percent from August 2018, and 4.4 percent (±0.5 percent) above last year. Gasoline Stations were up 11.4 percent from September 2017, while Nonstore Retailers were also up 11.4 percent from last year.