US retail sales rise 0.7 pct., most in 5 months

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. consumers ramped up spending in November on cars, appliances and furniture and made more purchases online, signaling growing confidence in the economy at the start of the holiday shopping season.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that retail sales rose 0.7 percent, the biggest gain in five months. October's figure was also revised higher to 0.6 percent.

Two straight months of healthy sales suggest steady hiring is encouraging Americans to spend more this holiday season, particularly on big-ticket items. That could give a critical boost to the economic growth.

Thursday's report "suggests that the holiday shopping season began on a strong note," Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, said in a note to clients.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131212/DAAKSPOO0.html

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In this Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013, photo, a shopper takes a selfie as crowds pour into the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York. The government reports on sales at U.S. retailers in November on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

[1000words]

1. doubleplusgood!

[KurtNYC]

2. 00.7% !? An increase of 7 one-thousandths. That's it?

For every thousand dollars spent in October, $1007 were spent in November.

[PSPS]

3. HAHA! Gee, you'd think it was christmas shopping season or something!

Every year, the corporate/state media trots out these breathless non sequiturs simply to get people to patronize their advertisers. Then, after Christmas, they say how disappointing sales were.