U.S. consumer spending continued to advance in midsummer, with Commerce Department figures showing retail sales rose 0.5% in July, matching economists’ forecasts. The prior month’s increase was revised up to 0.9% from 0.6%, underscoring stronger momentum than previously reported. Demand was broad-based but led by a 1.6% jump at motor-vehicle and parts dealers as buyers sought to lock in prices ahead of tariff-related increases. Promotions by Amazon and Walmart around back-to-school shopping and extended Prime sales also contributed to the gain. Sales excluding autos climbed 0.3%, while the control group that feeds into GDP calculations advanced 0.5%, topping the 0.4% consensus. Analysts said the data point to resilient household spending despite higher import costs and a cooling labor market. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model projects 2.5% annualized growth for the third quarter, although economists caution that elevated prices and slower hiring could temper consumption later in the year.