Total retail sales increased 0.2% in November, as expected, while retail sales, excluding autos, jumped 0.2% (Briefing.com consensus +0.3%).
An important item to take into account is that there were sizable revisions to the October data for total retail sales (to 1.1% from 0.8%) and retail sales, excluding autos (to 1.0% from 0.7%). Those revisions should mitigate any sense of disappointment in the "mixed" report for November.
Motor vehicle and parts dealer sales rose 0.2% after increasing 1.5% in October.
Gasoline station sales declined 2.3% after increasing 3.2% in October.
Building material sales slipped 0.3% after increasing 1.5% in October.
Food services and drinking places sales dropped 0.5% after increasing 0.6% in October.
The key takeaway from the Retail Sales report is that core retail sales, which exclude auto, gasoline station, building materials, and food services and drinking places sales, increased 0.9%. That's important because core retail sales are used in the computation of the goods component for personal consumption expenditures in the GDP report.| NOV | OCT | SEP | AUG | JUL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales | 0.2% | 1.1% | -0.2% | -0.1% | 0.6% |
| Excluding Autos | 0.2% | 1.0% | -0.3% | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Durable goods | |||||
| Building Materials | -0.3% | 1.5% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Autos/parts | 0.2% | 1.5% | 0.0% | -0.7% | 0.0% |
| Furniture | 1.2% | -0.5% | 0.5% | -1.1% | 0.5% |
| Nondurable goods | |||||
| General Merchandise | 0.4% | 0.8% | -0.5% | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Food | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.2% | -0.2% | 0.7% |
| Gasoline stations | -2.3% | 3.2% | -1.3% | 1.6% | 0.4% |
| Clothing | -0.2% | 1.3% | 0.7% | -3.0% | 1.6% |
| e*retailing/non-store | 2.3% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.6% |
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