The US economy may be cooling down after a strong start to the year, as evidenced by a decrease in retail sales and a decrease in inflationary pressures last month.

On Wednesday, the Commerce Department reported that spending at retail stores, online, and restaurants decreased by 0.4% in February after seasonal adjustments, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The figure for January was revised upward to a gain of 3.2% from the previous estimate of 3%. It is worth noting that retail sales numbers are not adjusted for inflation.

In February, consumers reduced spending at restaurants, auto dealerships, and department stores, while spending more on essential items at grocery stores and pharmacies. Excluding the often volatile auto sales, overall purchases declined by 0.1%.

On Wednesday, the Labor Department released a separate report indicating a decrease in a measure of inflation last month. The producer-price index, which is generally indicative of supply conditions across the economy, decreased 0.1% in February from the previous month. On a 12-month basis, producer prices rose 4.6% in February, which is a slower pace compared to January’s revised gain of 5.7%.

The latest data suggests that the economy may be slowing down as a result of the higher interest rates. Over the past year, the Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark rate aggressively to combat inflation, resulting in the highest level since 2007, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

However, the actions that the central bank will take at the upcoming meeting are uncertain, given the financial instability and bank failures that it is currently facing.

Written by staff