NEW YORK — Shoppers spent at a healthy pace in July, particularly at the nation's auto dealerships, as they appeared to shrug off President Trump's tariff s, which are starting to take a toll on jobs and lead to some price increases.

Retail sales rose a solid 0.5% last month, and June spending was stronger than expected, according to the Commerce Department's report released Friday. June's retail sales were revised upward to 0.9%, from a 0.6% increase, the agency said.

The increases followed two consecutive months of spending declines — a 0.1% pullback in April and a 0.9% slowdown in May. Excluding auto sales, which have been volatile since Trump imposed tariff s on many foreign-made cares, retail sales rose 0.3% in July. Auto sales rose 1.6%.

"Consumers have a little more spring in the

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