Back-to-School May Lift US Retail Shares After Recent Lull

Back to school supplies are shown for sale at a Walmart store during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Encinitas, Calif., on July 28, 2020. Mike Blake/Reuters

NEW YORK—Strong late-summer back-to-school sales could provide U.S. retailers some needed momentum after many sector shares lagged the broader market in recent months.

The S&P 500 retailing index, which includes Amazon.com Inc, is up just about 2 percent for the quarter so far, compared with a 6 percent gain in the S&P 500.