by Calculated Risk on 1/14/2011 08:30:00 AM

On a monthly basis, retail sales increased 0.6% from November to December(seasonally adjusted, after revisions), and sales were up 7.9% from December 2009.

Click on graph for larger image in new window.

This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline).

Retail sales are up 13.5% from the bottom, and now 0.2% above the pre-recession peak.


The second graph shows the year-over-year change in retail sales (ex-gasoline) since 1993.

Retail sales ex-gasoline increased by 7.4% on a YoY basis (7.9% for all retail sales).

Here is 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 $380.9 billion, an increase of 0.6 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month, and 7.9 percent (±0.7%) above December 2009. Total sales for the 12 months of 2010 were up 6.6 percent (±0.4%) from 2009. Total sales for the October through December 2010 period were up 7.8 percent(±0.5%) from the same period a year ago. The October to November 2010 percent change was unrevised from +0.8 percent (±0.2%).

This was below expectations for a 0.8% increase. Retail sales ex-autos were up 0.5%; also below expectations of a 0.7% increase.

Although slightly lower than expected, retail sales are now above the pre-recession peak in November 2007.