FX.co ★ Brazil Retail Sales Miss Forecasts in February

Brazil’s retail sales increased by 0.6% month-over-month in February 2026, falling short of market expectations of a 1.0% rise and decelerating from the 0.4% gain recorded in January. Sector performance was mixed, with results evenly divided between advances and declines. The strongest contributors were books, newspapers and stationery (2.4%), fuels and lubricants (1.7%), supermarkets and food products (1.1%), and pharmaceutical and personal care items (0.3%). In contrast, office equipment and IT (-2.7%), other personal and household goods (-0.6%), textiles, apparel and footwear (-0.3%), and furniture and appliances (-0.1%) exerted downward pressure on the overall index.

On a regional basis, 17 of Brazil’s 27 states registered growth in seasonally adjusted terms, led by Paraná (2.9%), Bahia (2.7%), and Minas Gerais (2.5%). Expanded retail sales—which encompass vehicles, motorcycles, auto parts, construction materials, and food wholesale—rose by 1.0% in the same period.