Retail sales rise unexpectedly in January

[WI_DEM]

WASHINGTON - U.S. retail sales jumped 1 percent in January, reversing a six-month declining trend and defying economists' expectations by posting the biggest increase in 14 months.

But higher gasoline prices and sales, and buyers snapping up other items on post-holiday discounts appeared to aid last month's results. Analysts cautioned that the relief is unlikely to last.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that January retail sales rose 1 percent from December after having fallen for six straight months. Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected January sales to show a drop of 0.8 percent. They plunged a revised lower 3 percent in December, which marked the weakest holiday selling season since at least 1969.

"This is a big surprise, though the net rise in sales is less impressive than it looks because (December and November) were revised down by 0.3 percent each," Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a research note. "The headline relief today is welcome but it is unlikely to last."

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20090212/4993bae0_3ca6_1552620090212923894514

[notadmblnd]

1. Ok, I'm going to take credit for this.

I did my sisters taxes for her and she then went out and did a little stimulating of the economy.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

2. No, it was me. My first grandchild is due in April and I bought

lots of layette items.

[Beetwasher]

3. Nope, All Me, My Twin Boys 2 Yr B-Day Party Did The Trick

We had balloons and cake and Elmo showed up. Voila! Economic turn around.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

4. I bought a new PC, too, in January

One of the last ones with Windows XP on it.

[Barack_America]

5. Ah, I see the expected "we've gotten rid of Bush and now have a real President"...

...consumer-spending bounce panned out.

[Andy823]

6. The average person

Just can't win! Last year the reason for high gas, and oil, prices was "supply and demand". Big oil said the "demand" was just so high it justified the higher prices. Now demand is low, and oil is even dropping lower, yet gas prices have gone up at a steady pace for the last month to an average of almost $2.00 a gallon, and even higher in some areas. Where I live it's up to $2.19 and has gone up almost 5 cents per week for the last month! I read the reason for higher gas prices was a "surprise" drop in gas supplies! What a surprise. Refineries are cutting back on what they produce in order to raise prices! It wasn't a "surprise" it was planned by the oil companies to once again increase profits. I feels so sorry for them, they may have to settle for only 30 "BILLION" in profits this year instead of the record 40 billion last year!

Once again the prices are being manipulated in order to increase profits for the rich corporations that pretty much run this country! Food prices have not come down as gas prices dropped, yet that was the reason for the higher prices, according to the companies that had increased prices. Congress needs to get busy and do something about high food and energy prices, and until they do, the big corporations will continue to reap huge profits at the expense of the people who can barely make ends meet!

[SoCalDem]

7. Obama merchandise?

Prior to, and since the inauguration, I have seen it EVERYWHERE.. For every buyer, there's a seller, who made some money, and in turn...spent it..

Could that be it:rofl: