From the Census Department’s Retail Trade Report:
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for December, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $442.9 billion, a decrease of 0.9 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month, but up 3.2 percent (±0.9%) above December 2013. Total sales for the 12 months of 2014 were up 4.0 percent (±0.6%) from 2013. Total sales for the October through December 2014 period were up 4.1 percent (±0.7%) from the same period a year ago. The October to November 2014 percent change was revised from +0.7 percent (±0.5%) to +0.4 percent (±0.1%).
Retail trade sales were down 1.1 percent (±0.5%) from November 2014, but 2.6 percent (±0.7%) above last year. Auto and other motor vehicle dealers were up 9.8 percent (±3.0%) from December 2013 and food services and drinking places were up 8.2 percent (±3.3%) from last year.
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Revisions to the prior two month’s reporting included a change of -0.31% for November , and a change of -0.18% for October .
See below.
Total sales volume fell by $4,190 billion
, with the biggest contributors being:
- Gasoline Stations sales fell by $2,741 billion
(-6.5%). - Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers sales fell by $622 billion
(-0.7%). - Building Materials, Garden Eq. & Supply Dealers sales fell by $533 billion
(-1.9%). - General Merchandise Stores sales fell by $493 billion
(-0.9%).
These are shown graphically in the bar chart below.
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Click to enlarge
Revisions to Prior Months
Retail Sales for November were
revised down by $1,371 billion , changing that month’s reported increase of 0.72% to an increase of 0.41% .
October sales were revised down by $790 billion , changing that month’s reported increase of 0.51% to an increase of 0.33% .