US retail inventories, excluding autos, rose by 0.3% in January 2026, following a 0.4% increase in December. The growth was led by furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance stores, which saw a 0.7% increase compared to 0.4% in the previous month. Building materials, garden equipment, and supplies also posted a significant gain of 1.3%, up from no growth in December, while general merchandise stores experienced a modest rise of 0.2%. In contrast, food and beverage stores saw a decline, with inventories dropping by 0.7%. Overall, retail inventories excluding autos were up by 1.6% year over year in January.