The retail sales growth in the United States in September exceeded expectations as households increased car purchases and increased consumption in restaurants and bars, indicating a strong performance of the US economy at the end of the third quarter. Consumer spending was driven by the tightening labor market, creating 336000 jobs in September. The excess savings accumulated during the pandemic are still higher than previously estimated. Core retail sales, excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials, and food services, increased by 0.6%. The core retail sales are closest to the consumer spending component of GDP. Due to the surge in July, consumer spending is expected to accelerate in the third quarter. Service industry expenditures have also remained stable, which should drive overall consumption. Currently, the annualized GDP growth rate in the third quarter is expected to reach as high as 5.1%.