Retail Sales Jumped 1.4% in March — and it wasn’t just spring fever. Shoppers across the U.S. raced to stock up on big-ticket items li ke electronics, vehicles, and sporting goods — not because they needed them right away, but because they feared what was coming: tariffs. The Big Picture: Consumers, anticipating higher prices from Trump’s expanding tariffs , rushed to make major purchases. Auto sales jumped 5.3%. Electronics rose 0.8%. Sporting goods? A solid 2.4% boost. Even restaurants saw a 1.8% gain — a rare lift when economic anxiety is brewing. The Details Retailers Should Know: Grocery stores saw a modest 0.1% increase , but this may not hold: rising costs could soon shift shopper behavior. Furniture and home goods were down 0.7% , indicating that not every category benefited. Analysts warn that once shoppers finish this round of “buy now, beat the tariffs,” sales may drop — sharply. Why This Matters: Consumers expect prices to rise...
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