On a monthly basis, retail sales were up 0.1% from November to December (seasonally adjusted, after revisions), and sales were up 6.5% from December 2010. From the Census Bureau 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 $400.6 billion, an increase of 0.1 percent (±0.5%)* from the previous month and 6.5 percent (±0.7%) above December 2010.

Click on graph for larger image.

Sales for November were revised up from a 0.2% increase to 0.4%. Retail sales excluding autos decreased 0.2% in December.This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales and food service, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline).Retail sales are up 20.4% from the bottom, and now 5.9% above the pre-recession peak (not inflation adjusted)The second graph shows the year-over-year change in retail sales and food service (ex-gasoline) since 1993. Retail sales ex-gasoline increased by 6.1% on a YoY basis (6.5% for all retail sales). Retail sales ex-gasoline increase 0.3% in December.This was well below the consensus forecast for retail sales of a 0.4% increase in December, and a 0.4% increase ex-auto.