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US retail sales slump unexpectedly and sharply after a summer tax-refund boost fades
Summary by The San Antonio Editorial Desk Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press , as published by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate)
· August 14, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The San Antonio Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press, as published by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 14, 2026 Indexed here Aug 14, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key points According to recent data, retail sales slipped by 0. 6% in July, the largest decrease since May 2025.
Retail sales in the US decreased unexpectedly in July. This drop follows a period of increased spending in April and May, which was likely due to government tax refunds. The decline in sales may be a result of the fading effect of these refunds.
According to recent data, retail sales slipped by 0.6% in July, the largest decrease since May 2025. Excluding sales at gas stations and auto dealers, the decline was 0.2%.
Further details on this trend are available from the Commerce Department, which released the data on Friday.
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As published by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) . The San Antonio surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local Published: August 14, 2026 Source: KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Retail sales in the US decreased unexpectedly in July. This drop follows a period of increased spending in April and May, which was likely due to government tax refunds. The decline in sales may be a…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 14, 2026 by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) and curated for The San Antonio readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press at KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate). To learn more about how The San Antonio selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The San Antonio, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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