Related Terms • Beige Book • CCI • ECI • Economic Indicator • Employee Cost Index • Employment Situation Report • Housing Starts • PMI

Definition: Retail Sales are the backbone of our economy.  The Retail Sales Data released monthly by the Census Bureau measures the merchandise sold by companies.  It includes all retail operations in the nation through a sampling method, from Wal-Mart to the local bookstore.

The Bottom Line:  The Retail Sales Data measures the amount of goods being sold each month in the United States.  It is a measurement of the health of the general economy.