Key Points:
- Retail sales, a measure of purchases at stores, restaurants and online, rose 0.7% in November, up from 0.5% increase in October.
- Excluding autos, retail sales rose by just 0.2% over the month.
- Retail sales were 3.8% above November 2023 but CPI data released earlier this month showed prices have increased 2.7% in the last year.
- Retail sales are not adjusted for inflation and reflect price differences as well as purchase amounts.
- Total sales for the September 2024 through November 2024 period were up 2.9% from the same period a year ago.
- The Right Facts will continue to monitor retail sales.