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December U.S. retail sales grew
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
U.S. Economy
U.S. retail sales increased by 0.3 % in December to $529.6 billion on the seasonally adjusted basis, reported by the Commerce Department. Food, clothing and gasoline sales grew above averge in the last month.
Retail sales are closely watched by investors and economists for signs of whether the economy is growing or shrinking. Consumer spending is the single biggest contributor to economic growth, is a critical bulwark against a potential downturn. Sales rose by 5.2 % in the past 12 months, as the sales excluding motor vehicle and parts increased on the higher rate than total sales over the past 12 months.
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| Fuels & Transportation |
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Excluding the volatile auto sector sales increased sequentially by 0.7 % on the seasonally adjusted basis, sales grew at clothing stores, sporting goods, hobby, book, music stores and electronics and appliance stores. Online shopping sales fell.
Investors and the Federal Reserve usually view the core sales as a better gauge of retail sales because it excludes car sales, which often fluctuate.
U.S. retail and food services sales excluding motor vehicle and parts rose by 5.9 % in the past 12 months.
November retail and food services sales were revised to $527.8 billion to show 0.3 % growth.
Sales of essentials have increased by higher rate than in previous period, sales of groceries and gasoline increased by 0.9 % on the seasonally adjusted basis, as gasoline station sales increased the most, representing 8.51 % of total U.S. retail and food services sales. Over the past 12 months, sales of essentials grew by 7.3 %.
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Retail Sales
In December, sales increased 1.6% at clothing and accessories stores, health and personal care stores grew by 0.4%.
Several other areas with sales growth were 0.6% at electronics and appliance stores, building materials dealers grew by 1.4%.
Meanwhile, sales decreased -100% at internet retailers, department stores fell -0.8%.
Americans may have also bought spring clothes early, as sales at clothing and clothing accessory stores climbed. However, the weather boost may end up taking away demand later this year, economists warn.
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Retail Sales by Category
(In millions $)
ADVANCE
MONTHLY SALES
( in millions $) |
Dec. 2019
adv. |
Nov. 2019
rest. |
Oct. 2019
adv. |
Sep. 2019
adv. |
Aug. 2019
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
|
529,606 |
527,841 |
526,420 |
525,157 |
526,889 |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
|
422,967 |
419,828 |
420,038 |
420,086 |
420,590 |
| Retail |
|
464,516 |
462,883 |
461,047 |
459,640 |
461,874 |
| GAFO |
|
377,921 |
375,991 |
376,634 |
377,554 |
378,037 |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers |
|
- |
108,711 |
109,018 |
109,140 |
109,554 |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers |
|
106,639 |
108,013 |
106,382 |
105,071 |
106,299 |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
|
9,885 |
9,871 |
9,841 |
9,875 |
9,789 |
| Electronics & appliance stores |
|
8,134 |
8,082 |
8,106 |
8,140 |
8,187 |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Computer & software stores |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
|
32,086 |
31,656 |
31,609 |
31,573 |
32,137 |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
|
- |
28,101 |
28,024 |
28,015 |
28,607 |
| Food & beverage stores |
|
65,695 |
65,434 |
65,176 |
65,256 |
65,712 |
| Grocery stores |
|
58,768 |
58,524 |
58,300 |
58,407 |
58,823 |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
|
- |
5,022 |
4,988 |
4,999 |
5,031 |
| Health & personal care stores |
|
29,468 |
29,352 |
29,725 |
29,829 |
29,639 |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
|
- |
24,110 |
24,534 |
24,680 |
24,606 |
| Gasoline stations |
|
45,046 |
43,837 |
43,404 |
42,532 |
42,553 |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
|
22,654 |
22,287 |
22,406 |
22,476 |
22,526 |
| Men's clothing stores |
|
- |
749 |
756 |
762 |
751 |
| Women's clothing stores |
|
- |
3,312 |
3,309 |
3,405 |
3,396 |
| Shoe stores |
|
- |
3,144 |
3,145 |
3,166 |
3,208 |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
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6,403 |
6,344 |
6,550 |
6,492 |
6,495 |
| General merchandise stores |
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59,995 |
59,639 |
59,597 |
59,618 |
59,885 |
| Department stores ex. LD |
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10,936 |
11,019 |
11,105 |
11,126 |
11,306 |
| Other general merchandise
stores |
|
- |
48,620 |
48,492 |
48,492 |
48,579 |
| Warehouse clubs & superstores |
|
- |
41,474 |
41,372 |
41,379 |
41,380 |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
|
- |
7,146 |
7,120 |
7,113 |
7,199 |
| Miscellaneous store retailers |
|
11,746 |
11,733 |
11,598 |
11,482 |
11,605 |
| Nonstore retailers |
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- |
59,068 |
59,172 |
59,817 |
59,515 |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
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- |
59,068 |
59,172 |
59,817 |
59,515 |
| Food services & drinking places |
|
65,090 |
64,958 |
65,373 |
65,517 |
65,015 |
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
( in % Y / Y) |
Dec. 2019
adv. |
Nov. 2019
rest. |
Oct. 2019
adv. |
Sep. 2019
adv. |
Aug. 2019
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
5.21 % |
3.05 % |
2.89 % |
3.46 % |
3.61 % |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
5.94 % |
2.91 % |
2.94 % |
3.54 % |
3.5 % |
| Retail |
4.86 % |
2.4 % |
2.22 % |
2.81 % |
3.37 % |
| GAFO |
5.5 % |
3.15 % |
3.87 % |
4.38 % |
4.32 % |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers
|
- % |
-2.08 % |
-1.54 % |
-1.13 % |
-0.89 % |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers
|
2.4 % |
3.6 % |
2.72 % |
3.13 % |
4.06 % |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
0 % |
-2.75 % |
-2.56 % |
-3.12 % |
-3.72 % |
| Electronics & appliance stores
|
1.02 % |
-1.7 % |
-1.55 % |
-0.83 % |
-2.36 % |
| Appl. TV & camera |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Computer & software stores
|
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
-3.42 % |
-3.64 % |
-5.19 % |
-3.99 % |
-2.18 % |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
- % |
-1.96 % |
-2.81 % |
-2.43 % |
-0.51 % |
| Food & beverage stores |
5.31 % |
4.66 % |
4.33 % |
4.69 % |
5.93 % |
| Grocery stores |
5.8 % |
5.29 % |
4.93 % |
5.32 % |
6.42 % |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
- % |
3.14 % |
3.51 % |
3.63 % |
5.65 % |
| Health & personal care stores |
3 % |
0.1 % |
2.68 % |
2.73 % |
1.02 % |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
- % |
-0.79 % |
2.1 % |
2.02 % |
0.16 % |
| Gasoline stations |
9.83 % |
0.9 % |
-4.48 % |
-3.36 % |
-3.28 % |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
-1.26 % |
-4.2 % |
-3.31 % |
-2.01 % |
-1.18 % |
| Men's clothing stores |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Women's clothing stores |
- % |
-6.65 % |
-5.43 % |
-4.27 % |
-2.1 % |
| Shoe stores |
- % |
-3.5 % |
-1.93 % |
4.56 % |
9.45 % |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
7.4 % |
0.54 % |
2.36 % |
0.54 % |
-1.75 % |
| General merchandise stores
|
0.54 % |
-1.51 % |
-1.14 % |
-0.76 % |
-0.41 % |
| Department stores ex. LD |
-9.78 %
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-12.26 %
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-11.05 %
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-9.82 %
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-9.22 %
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| Other general merchandise
stores |
- % |
1.3 % |
1.44 % |
1.58 % |
1.9 % |
| Warehouse clubs & superstores |
- % |
2.06 % |
1.82 % |
1.86 % |
1.81 % |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
- % |
-2.88 % |
-0.68 % |
0 % |
2.4 % |
| Miscellaneous store retailers
|
10.22 % |
1.68 % |
4.51 % |
6.62 % |
6.44 % |
| Nonstore retailers |
- % |
12.1 % |
15.5 % |
15.83 % |
17.27 % |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
- % |
12.1 % |
15.5 % |
15.83 % |
17.27 % |
| Food services & drinking places
|
7.75 % |
7.93 % |
7.89 % |
8.26 % |
5.35 % |
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
( in % M / M) |
Dec. 2019
adv. |
Nov. 2019
rest. |
Oct. 2019
adv. |
Sep. 2019
adv. |
Aug. 2019
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
0.33 % |
0.27 % |
0.24 % |
-0.33 % |
0.52 % |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
0.75 % |
-0.05 % |
-0.01 % |
-0.12 % |
0.18 % |
| Retail |
0.35 % |
0.4 % |
0.31 % |
-0.48 % |
0.56 % |
| GAFO |
0.51 % |
-0.17 % |
-0.24 % |
-0.13 % |
0.31 % |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers
|
- % |
-0.28 % |
-0.11 % |
-0.38 % |
-0.21 % |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers
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-1.27 % |
1.53 % |
1.25 % |
-1.16 % |
1.88 % |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
0.14 % |
0.3 % |
-0.34 % |
0.88 % |
0.35 % |
| Electronics & appliance stores
|
0.64 % |
-0.3 % |
-0.42 % |
-0.57 % |
-0.13 % |
| Appl. TV & camera |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Computer & software stores
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| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
1.36 % |
0.15 % |
0.11 % |
-1.75 % |
2.13 % |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
- % |
0.27 % |
0.03 % |
-2.07 % |
2.37 % |
| Food & beverage stores |
0.4 % |
0.4 % |
-0.12 % |
-0.69 % |
-0.24 % |
| Grocery stores |
0.42 % |
0.38 % |
-0.18 % |
-0.71 % |
-0.26 % |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
- % |
0.68 % |
-0.22 % |
-0.64 % |
0.42 % |
| Health & personal care stores |
0.4 % |
-1.25 % |
-0.35 % |
0.64 % |
-0.53 % |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
- % |
-1.73 % |
-0.59 % |
0.3 % |
0.02 % |
| Gasoline stations |
2.76 % |
1 % |
2.05 % |
-0.05 % |
-0.98 % |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
1.65 % |
-0.53 % |
-0.31 % |
-0.22 % |
-0.87 % |
| Men's clothing stores |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Women's clothing stores |
- % |
0.09 % |
-2.82 % |
0.27 % |
-1.05 % |
| Shoe stores |
- % |
-0.03 % |
-0.66 % |
-1.31 % |
-2.55 % |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
0.93 % |
-3.15 % |
0.89 % |
-0.05 % |
-0.37 % |
| General merchandise stores
|
0.6 % |
0.07 % |
-0.04 % |
-0.45 % |
-0.06 % |
| Department stores ex. LD |
-0.75 % |
-0.77 % |
-0.19 % |
-1.59 % |
-1.16 % |
| Other general merchandise
stores |
- % |
0.26 % |
0 % |
-0.18 % |
0.2 % |
| Warehouse clubs &
superstores |
- % |
0.25 % |
-0.02 % |
-0 % |
0.1 % |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
- % |
0.37 % |
0.1 % |
-1.19 % |
0.77 % |
| Miscellaneous store retailers
|
0.11 % |
1.16 % |
1.01 % |
-1.06 % |
3.16 % |
| Nonstore retailers |
- % |
-0.18 % |
-1.08 % |
0.51 % |
0.96 % |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
- % |
-0.18 % |
-1.08 % |
0.51 % |
0.96 % |
| Food services & drinking places
|
0.2 % |
-0.63 % |
-0.22 % |
0.77 % |
0.23 % |
Source: Department of Commerce
• Census.gov
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