02:30 PM EDT, 07/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's services measure rose to 7.4 in July from minus 25.8 in June, indicating a return to expansion after a similar gain in the New York Fed's services measure.

State unemployment data for June showed that the unemployment rate fell in eight states and lower in two states.

Redbook reported that US same-store retail sales were up 7.8% year-over-year in the week ended July 18, slower than an 8.2% gain in the prior week. Sales of warm weather items and the start of back-to-school sales drove spending in the week.