Retail Sales Nowcast

The Chicago Fed Advance Retail Trade Summary (CARTS) tracks the U.S. Census Bureau’s Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS) on a weekly basis, providing an early snapshot of national retail spending.
It is released twice a month.
It uses credit card and other high-frequency alternative data to put together a forecast.
The result is a very accurate prediction of retail sales (ex auto).
Currently, April is predicted to be weak (no consensus estimates yet).