All articles tagged with #retailsales
U.S. December retail sales were flat at $735.0 billion, unchanged from November and below the +0.4% consensus, with core retail sales and sales excluding gas and autos also flat, signaling softer consumer spending even as the holiday season remained solid; year-over-year sales rose 2.4%.
U.S. stock futures were flat on Tuesday after December retail sales came in unchanged, with investors awaiting the rest of the earnings season and key inflation data. Dow futures hovered around 50,112, S&P 500 futures were about 0.1% lower near 6,962, and Nasdaq-100 futures were largely unchanged. The session follows Monday’s AI‑driven tech rally, with Coca‑Cola, Spotify and Hasbro among earnings in focus; ON Semiconductor warned of weak Q4 revenue amid an inventory glut. Traders eye Wednesday’s jobs report and Friday’s CPI for the Fed path, while bullion and oil movements and Middle East tensions kept some risk in the backdrop.
U.S. producer prices rose 0.2% in November (core PPI flat), with year-over-year PPI up about 3% and core PPI up 3.5%—the largest 12-month gain since March 2025, led by energy. Meanwhile, retail sales advanced 0.6% in November (0.5% ex-autos), beating forecasts and broad-based across categories, lifting the year-over-year gain to about 3.3%. Markets were little changed, with traders pricing in little chance of a near-term Fed move at the upcoming meeting.
Despite early holiday discounts, US consumers shopped more on Black Friday, with a 3.4% increase in sales year-over-year, driven largely by a 14.6% rise in online shopping. Mastercard reported that while in-store sales grew less than 1%, online spending reached $10.8 billion. Popular purchases included apparel, electronics, and jewelry. Adobe Analytics predicts Cyber Monday will surpass Black Friday sales, estimating $13.2 billion in spending. However, concerns about overconsumption and environmental impact were highlighted by experts.
October retail sales slightly exceeded expectations, rising 0.4% compared to the anticipated 0.3% increase, while sales excluding food and gasoline rose just 0.1%. This comes amid Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's comments that there is no rush to cut interest rates, despite recent inflation data aligning with forecasts. The S&P 500 saw modest declines, reflecting market uncertainty about future rate cuts. The odds of a December rate cut have decreased following Powell's remarks and the retail sales report.
American Freight is closing all 328 of its stores nationwide as part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings by its parent company, Franchise Group Inc. The company is offering significant discounts on its inventory, including furniture and appliances, as it winds down operations. Franchise Group, which also owns brands like Pet Supplies Plus and The Vitamin Shoppe, is undergoing restructuring to strengthen its capital structure. Despite the closures, other brands under Franchise Group will continue operations.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 150 points after strong U.S. retail sales in December, with tech stocks like Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla selling off sharply. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 also experienced losses, while oil prices dropped and the 10-year yield ticked higher. Key earnings movers included Charles Schwab, Interactive Brokers, and U.S. Bancorp. Additionally, several stocks, including Amazon, MercadoLibre, Netflix, Novo Nordisk, and Spotify, were highlighted as best stocks to buy and watch in the current market rally.