# Walmart sales fall as US consumers pull back spending

https://mins.news/en/item/27690

- Al Jazeera, 2026-08-20 19:18 UTC
- Economy
- Original: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/8/20/walmart-sees-sales-drop-as-us-consumer-spending-retreats?traffic_source=rss

> Walmart’s US same-store sales grew 2.6 percent in the second quarter, below analysts’ 3.8 percent forecast and the slowest quarterly increase in six years. The retailer blamed petrol prices above $4 a gallon for prompting spending trade-offs, while tariffs and tensions with Iran also weigh on consumers. Walmart expects $2bn in additional fuel-related costs, though it raised its net sales growth forecast and reported a 24 percent rise in US e-commerce sales.

## Related coverage

- [Walmart sales slowdown tests consumer resilience](https://mins.news/en/video/27748) — Reuters, 2026-08-20
- [Walmart reports rare sales miss as consumers cut spending, shares fall](https://mins.news/en/item/27496) — Reuters, 2026-08-20
