But economists warn that the underlying picture for consumption may be mixed.
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On 14 January 2026, 02:30 AM IST
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Overall sales rose 0.6 percent to $735.9 billion in November, on a month-over-month basis, Commerce Department data showed.
This marked a rebound from a revised 0.1 percent decline in October and was better than the 0.4 percent growth expected by analysts.
“The strong gain in retail sales in November supports our prediction that this holiday season was solid for retailers, with holiday retail sales volumes the strongest since 2021,” said Michael Pearce, chief US economist at Oxford Economics.
“However, it rests on a narrow base because spending is being spent by high-income households as part of their recent wealth gains,” he warned in a note.
However, the latest retail figures were released on a delayed schedule due to a long government shutdown between October and mid-November.
Looking ahead, all eyes are on the strength of US consumers as President Donald Trump’s trade policies boost spending while the labor market cools.
Retail sales were up 3.3 percent in November on a year-over-year basis, the report said.
In addition to an increase in consumption as the holidays approached, the increase was also partly due to sales at auto dealers and gasoline stations.
Sales at restaurants and bars rose 0.6 percent in November after a 0.1 percent decline in October.
But spending at grocery stores rose just 0.1 percent, while spending at furniture stores fell 0.1 percent.
Meanwhile, sales at general merchandise stores were flat, with department stores falling 2.9 percent.
A separate report released on Wednesday showed producer prices rose 0.2 percent in November due to a jump in goods costs.
This was largely due to energy costs in the month, the Labor Department said.
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