Retail sales rose at their slowest pace in nearly a year in October as American consumers showed signs of strain from high prices, according to the latest CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. Total retail spending on a seasonally adjusted basis came in at $561.7 billion in October, a 0.2% increase from a month prior and 3.6% above where it sat a year ago, according to exclusive data released Wednesday. Core retail spending, which excludes restaurant spending, rose 0.3% month over month to $454.2 billion. Core spending was 3.4% higher than a year earlier. The monthly growth rate for total spending was the lowest since November 2025, an indication that shoppers are growing choosier as higher prices pinch pocketbooks.
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