Trump 'surprise' - Retail sales best in 2 years

Thursday, April 17, 2025

The first bit of hard tariff data just arrived, but not in the way you may have expected. Retail sales rose 1.4% in March, according to new Census Bureau data out Wednesday, posting the best reading in over two years.

Posted by ScottS at 10:30 PM | 30 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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So again, Trump policies are working. And before you say 'yeah but tariffs' - well, tariffs were announced on April 5 and no one knew the scale so there was no 'panic buying' to artificially inflate March retail sales. What we have is continued strong private sector job growth (also beat in March) followed by strong retail sales as REAL WAGES finally started to increase and a 'surprise' decrease in inflation.

Comments

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People bought before the tariffs, numbnuts. God damn you MAGAT scum are retarded.

#1 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-04-18 01:54 AM | Reply

"People bought before the tariffs, numbnuts. God damn you MAGAT scum are retarded.
#1 | Posted by LegallyYourDead"

Stick to pretend law school -------. The tariffs were not announced until April 5th and there has been zero consumer panic buying - it is not like when you -------s went wild buying toilet paper during covid. You would have a stronger argument had this been corporate spending/inventory building but this was retail - so, no impact and definitely not in March before anyone knew the scale of the tariffs.

What this just proves again - the 'expert class' of economists that brought us offshoring and free trade are DEAD WRONG again when it comes to assessing pro-American trade policies.

#2 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 02:34 AM | Reply

Yeah sure pal.

That was when he was manipulating the markets and the Dow tanked 20%

#3 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-04-18 04:24 AM | Reply

"That was when he was manipulating the markets and the Dow tanked 20%
#3 | Posted by LegallyYourDead"

The Dow was 42,225 on April 5 and went to a low of 37,645 on April 8, a loss of 11%. I guess they did not require you to take math before getting your pretend law degree from Wakanda University.

#4 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 06:30 AM | Reply

The tariffs were not announced until April 5th

2 | Posted by ScottS

Anyone who was paying attention knew what Trump was going to do.

It's not like he could keep his trap shut about it.

#5 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 08:43 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

"there has been zero consumer panic buyin"

There's no reason it would take the form of panic buying. The spending has been rational and deliberate and in self-defense.

People are attempting to defend themselves from Trump.

You've been doing a bit of this your self, unless you're just an absolute and wholly complete idiot.

#6 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 08:45 AM | Reply

| Posted by ScottS

You have to know that there will be no Trump Boom.

You HAVE to know that, so I am curious as to what line of bullcr-- you will use to explain that.

#7 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 08:46 AM | Reply

Mack Trucks will lay off between 250 and 350 workers at its Lehigh Valley Operations center outside Allentown over the next three months, due to economic uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs

Posted by reinheitsgebot

#8 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 08:49 AM | Reply

"Retail sales best in 2 years"

People trying to beat the tariffs.

#9 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-04-18 09:14 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"Anyone who was paying attention knew what Trump was going to do.
#5 | Posted by Zed"

Strange how your -------- say this and then accuse him of market manipulation with the next breath. You ------- ever make a consistent argument? Kind of like how you say he is simultaneously rich and broke at the same time.

#10 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 09:15 AM | Reply

"People trying to beat the tariffs.
#9 | Posted by snoofy"

That they did not know were coming...gotcha...

Did you stock up on cheap Chinese crap from Walmart to protect yourself -------?

#11 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 09:16 AM | Reply

From pedo scatberg's link.

The strong rebound in retail sales in March was boosted by a surge in auto sales and a more general front-loading of consumer spending ahead of tariffs," Oxford Economics deputy chief US economist Michael Pearce wrote in a note on Wednesday.

#12 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2025-04-18 09:52 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

#10 | Posted by ScottS

Not at all strange.

The two things are not mutually exclusive.

Which you know.

Your problem is not consistency.

It's honesty.

When did you first discover that you are a liar?

#13 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 09:53 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

#11 | Posted by ScottS a

Would you like to lie about not being a liar?

Like I said, your problem is not consistency.

#14 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 09:55 AM | Reply

Did you stock up on cheap Chinese crap from Walmart to protect yourself -------?

#11 | Posted by ScottS

We bought trips to Europe.

#15 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 09:56 AM | Reply

Did you stock up on cheap Chinese crap from Walmart to protect yourself -------?
#11 | Posted by ScottS

Why are you people so dumb?

We produce most of our cheap plastic crap domestically, thanks to fracking.
www.thenation.com

#16 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-04-18 10:09 AM | Reply

#11 | Posted by ScottS a

My wife and I will visit Dachau

That will be of special interest to you.

That's where Hitler put his political prisoners. Kind of like the modern El Salvador.

I'll tell you all about it.

#17 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 10:22 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The tariffs were not announced until April 5th

www.pbs.org

As usual, you're a stupid f*&^ talking out your ass.

The first tariffs were announced and implemented in February.

F*&^ off you worthless piece of s*&^.

#18 | Posted by jpw at 2025-04-18 10:42 AM | Reply

"Anyone who was paying attention knew what Trump was going to do.
#5 | Posted by Zed"
Strange how your -------- say this and then accuse him of market manipulation with the next breath. You ------- ever make a consistent argument? Kind of like how you say he is simultaneously rich and broke at the same time.

#10 | Posted by ScottS

Hey s*&^heap, there's no inconsistency there...

#19 | Posted by jpw at 2025-04-18 10:43 AM | Reply

"We bought trips to Europe.
#15 | Posted by Zed"

Checks out - Canadians aren't traveling to the US anymore.

#20 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 10:43 AM | Reply

"The first tariffs were announced and implemented in February.
#18 | Posted by jpw"

So, people bought in March to get in front of tariffs implements in February...did that make sense in your head when you typed it.

#21 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 10:45 AM | Reply

Yes. Because I'm not stupid.

He instituted tariffs. People bought while prices were at least comparable to current.

As prices began to rise from the tariffs, people started buying more.

You seem to operate under this childishly simple view of the world as being instintatenous.

Because you're stupid.

So stupid you apparently didn't realize your own linked article says as much.

Idiot.

#22 | Posted by jpw at 2025-04-18 11:10 AM | Reply

Canadians aren't traveling to the US anymore.

#20 | Posted by ScottS

That's your fault.

You, Trump, and MAGA.

All it took was being a threatening as.

#23 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 11:31 AM | Reply

"Canadians aren't traveling to the US anymore.
#20 | Posted by ScottS
That's your fault.
#23 | Posted by Zed"

Fault? That is a dream scenario. Last thing we need is more Canucks dodging Canadian taxes by purchasing things in the US. You voted for the ------- regime - live with the consequences.

#24 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-04-18 11:44 AM | Reply

" Fault? That is a dream scenario. "

Now do American businesses which rely on Canadian tourist dollars.

#25 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-04-18 11:45 AM | Reply

Last thing we need is more Canucks dodging Canadian taxes by purchasing things in the US.

#24 | Posted by ScottS

LOL.

That could only be a problem for the MAGA brain.

#26 | Posted by Zed at 2025-04-18 11:56 AM | Reply

Oh man that is hilarious.

We don't want foreign tourists spending money in America, that is destroying the American economy! #MAGA

#27 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-04-18 11:59 AM | Reply

... So again, Trump policies are working. And before you say 'yeah but tariffs' - well, tariffs were announced on April 5 and no one knew the scale so there was no 'panic buying' to artificially inflate March retail sales. ...

Tariffs were talked about before they were announced on April 2.

What happened on April 2 was the extreme level of the tariffs became known for the first time. Before that, though, that tariffs were coming was something that had been known.

From the cited article...

... "The strong rebound in retail sales in March was boosted by a surge in auto sales and a more general front-loading of consumer spending ahead of tariffs," Oxford Economics deputy chief US economist Michael Pearce wrote in a note on Wednesday. ...

#28 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-04-18 12:22 PM | Reply

I just bought 5000 computers last month for my company because our vendor announced they would be raising prices between 15-25% due to tariffs.
Normally that spending would have been spread out over the next year.
I'm sure my sales rep's numbers were great for March but have taken a huge dip since.

#29 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2025-04-18 02:24 PM | Reply

MAGATS are ------- retarded

#30 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-04-18 04:14 PM | Reply