There were $469.1 billion in retail and food service sales in December, up 0.6% from the previous month and 4.1% from December 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Core retail sales – excluding automobiles and parts – increased 0.2% after rising at the same rate in November. Year-over-year core sales increased 3.4%.
Retail trade sales increased 0.8% from November and are up 4.3% from last year. Sales at nonstore retailers increased 1.3% from November, while increasing 13.2% year-over-year.
Sales at gasoline stations continued to climb, rising 2.0% during the month and 6.3% from a year ago.
Read the Census release.
