By Savyata Mishra

(Reuters) -Home Depot and Lowe’s are set to post modest sales gains when they report quarterly results this week, giving investors a read on whether the outlook is improving or consumer caution is still holding back renovation and do-it-yourself spending.

The two major U.S. home improvement chains have faced higher raw material costs in categories such as flooring, hardware and lighting due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, passing some of the increase on to shoppers, although analysts expect a temporary pause on China duties to offer short-term relief.

The effective tariff rate borne by U.S. consumers has surged to 17.9% this year, the highest since 1934, according to Yale’s Budget Lab, adding to strains on household budgets, exacerbated by what was the longest gov

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