Economists forecast that retail sales increased a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in August

Consumers likely boosted U.S. retail spending in August for the fourth month in a row, but at a slower pace than earlier in the summer as the country continued to struggle with the coronavirus pandemic.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal forecast that retail sales increased a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in August from a month earlier. That would mark a slight cooling from the 1.2% increase recorded in July.
Retail spending has continued to recover from the economic shock created by the pandemic, surpassing prepandemic levels in July. Its going to be tough to make further gains because levels are already pretty robust, Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont Securities said, referring to retail sales.
Other parts of the economy are also digging back, though at different speeds. Industrial production increased in August for the fourth straight month, but remains well below levels seen before the pandemic. Employers have continued to add jobs across industries, but there are still 11.5 million fewer jobs than in February and the unemployment rate of 8.4% is well above the 3.5% level from before the pandemic.
Economists say government stimulus meant to offset the pandemics economic damage has helped retail spending. One of those programs$600-a-week in enhanced unemployment benefits for workersexpired at the end of July. President Trump signed an executive action temporarily extending $300-a-week in extra aid on top of regular state benefits.