On a monthly basis, retail sales decreased 0.2 percent from February to March (seasonally adjusted), and sales were up 5.2 percent from March 2016.
From the Census Bureau report:
Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for March 2017, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $470.8 billion, a decrease of 0.2 percent from the previous month, and 5.2 percent above March 2016. … The January 2017 to February 2017 percent change was revised from up 0.1 percent to down 0.3 percent.
Click on graph for larger image.
This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales and food service, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline).
Retail sales ex-gasoline were down 0.2% in March.
The second graph shows the year-over-year change in retail sales and food service (ex-gasoline) since 1993.
Retail and Food service sales, ex-gasoline, increased by 4.5% on a YoY basis.
The decrease in March was below expectations, and sales for February were revised down. A weak report.