U.S. retail and food services sales increased 1.2 percent in August to $773.9 billion, according to advance estimates released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. The gain marked the strongest monthly advance in five months and exceeded economists' consensus forecast of a 0.8 percent rise.

The reading followed a revised 0.5 percent decline in July, which had been the first monthly drop in nine months. Sales were up 6.0 percent from August 2025. Total sales for the June-through-August period also rose 6.0 percent from the same stretch a year earlier.

Gains were broad-based across most categories. Gasoline stations led with a 3.1 percent jump, reflecting both higher volumes and elevated fuel prices. Nonstore retailers, which include online merchants, rose 2.6 percent. Miscellaneous store retailers increased 1.9 percent, electronics and appliance stores climbed 1.6 percent, and food services and drinking places advanced 1.2 percent.

The control group, which excludes autos, gasoline, building materials, and food services and feeds directly into gross domestic product calculations, surged 1.4 percent. That pace far outstripped the 0.4 percent gain that forecasters had expected.

Motor vehicle and parts dealers posted a 0.6 percent increase, while building material and garden equipment stores edged down 0.2 percent. The data are not adjusted for inflation.

The report underscores continued consumer resilience in the face of elevated prices in key areas such as energy. Year-over-year growth remained solid, and the rebound from July's dip suggests the prior month's weakness was largely temporary.