Retail sales slowed in April as Trump's tariffs weighed on US consumers who pulled forward spending on some key categories into March ahead of these levies. Headline retail sales rose 0.1% in April, slightly above economists expectations for sales to be flat month-on-month, and well below the 1.7% increase seen in March, according to Census Bureau data. The control group in Thursday's release, which excludes several volatile categories and factors into the gross domestic product (GDP) reading for the quarter, fell 0.2%; control group sales had risen 0.5% in March. March sales excluding auto and gas rose 0.2%, below consensus estimates for a 0.3% increase and a move lower from the 1.1% increase seen the month prior. A 2.5% drop in sales at sporting goods and hobby stores led the declines, while sales at department stores fell 1.4%. Specialized retailers also saw a 2.1% decline last month.