The Retail Monitor calculation of core retail sales (excluding restaurants in addition to automobiles dealers and gasoline stations) was up 2.19% month over month in December and up 8.41% year over year. That compared with a decrease of 0.19% month over month and an increase of 1.43% year over year in November.
December sales were up across the board on a yearly basis, led by online sales, clothing and accessories stores, and electronics and appliances stores. Sales were up in all but one of nine categories on a monthly basis.
Your first look at how retail sales performed last month. The Retail Monitor has been shown to be highly correlated with the U.S. Census Bureau’s revised retail sales numbers. The data is powered by Affinity Solutions.