While economic uncertainty loomed, consumer spending in the first quarter of 2024 remained robust for retail goods. Retail sales in the US rose 0.7% in March to $709.6 billion, and total sales for Q1 2024 were up 2.1% from the same period a year ago. The National Retail Federation expects retail sales to reach between $5.23 trillion and $5.28 trillion this year. The 2024 forecast is roughly in line with the 10-year pre-pandemic average annual sales growth of 3.6%.
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