Retail Sales Up Scant .1% in December, Core Retail Sales Decline; Chart of Retail Sales Adjusted for Population Growth and Inflation

WASHINGTON — U.S. retail sales unexpectedly rose in April as households bought automobiles, building materials and a range of other goods, pointing to underlying strength in the economy. The Commerce Department said on Monday retail sales edged up 0.1% after a revised 0.5% decline in March. Economists polled by Reuters had expected retail sales, which account for about 30% of consumer spending, to drop 0.3% last month after a previously reported 0.4% decline in March.

WASHINGTON — U.S. retail sales barely rose in January as tax increases and higher gasoline prices restrained spending, suggesting a slowdown in the pace of consumer spending early in the first quarter. The Commerce Department said on Wednesday retail sales edged up 0.1% after an unrevised 0.5% rise in December. The modest gain, which was in line with economist’s expectations, suggested that households were responding to the expiration of a 2% payroll tax cut on Jan. 1. Taxes also went up for wealthy Americans.

OTTAWA — Canadian retail sales unexpectedly plunged 2.1% in December amid slumping new-car sales and a weak Christmas shopping season, Statistics Canada data said on Friday. The drop, far larger than the 0.3% decline predicted by economists, suggested that already moderated expectations for fourth-quarter growth might be too optimistic. The monthly fall was the greatest since a 2.4% decline in April 2010. The Canadian dollar softened to its weakest level in seven months against the U.S. dollar after inflation and retail sales data came in below forecast.

(WASHINGTON) — Americans spent at the fastest pace in five months in February, boosting retail spending 1.1 percent compared with January. About half the jump reflected higher gas prices, but even excluding gas purchases, retail sales rose 0.6 percent. The report Wednesday from the Commerce Department showed that Americans kept spending last month despite higher Social Security taxes that took effect this year. The retail sales report is the government’s first look each month at consumer spending, which drives about 70 percent of economic activity.

(WASHINGTON) — Americans spent at the fastest pace in five months in February, boosting retail spending 1.1 percent compared with January. About half the jump reflected higher gas prices, but even excluding gas purchases, retail sales rose 0.6 percent. The report Wednesday from the Commerce Department showed that Americans kept spending last month despite higher Social Security taxes that took effect this year. The retail sales report is the government’s first look each month at consumer spending, which drives about 70 percent of economic activity.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. holiday retail sales this year grew at the weakest pace since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. In 2012, the shopping season was disrupted by bad weather and consumers' rising uncertainty about the economy.

In a news release that would have been blamed on delayed tax refunds and "the weather" if it was a miss, but confirms a stronger consumer if it beat, and denies everything Wal Mart was warning about regarding February sales, today's retail sales just came stronger than expected in both the headline print (+1.1%, on expectations of a +0.5% rise), the Ex-Autos (+1.0%, Exp. 0.5%), and the Ex-autos and gas (0.4%, Exp. 0.2%). All of this of course was on a seasonally-adjusted basis (more on this shortly).

In a news release that would have been blamed on delayed tax refunds and "the weather" if it was a miss, but confirms a stronger consumer if it beat, and denies everything Wal Mart was warning about regarding February sales, today's retail sales just came stronger than expected in both the headline print (+1.1%, on expectations of a +0.5% rise), the Ex-Autos (+1.0%, Exp. 0.5%), and the Ex-autos and gas (0.4%, Exp. 0.2%). All of this of course was on a seasonally-adjusted basis (more on this shortly).