2010, Retail | featured news

US retail sales rose in December for the sixth consecutive month, but questions about the economy still remain.

Though December was weaker than expected, the overall holiday season was still relatively strong, analysts said.

Retail sales were solidly higher in November, the government reported Tuesday, fueled in part by deep discounting on holiday merchandise.

The downward trend of bookstore sales continued in July with sales declining 2.3%, to $1.08 billion, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau

Retail sales are expected to show an increase in August despite weakness in auto sales. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect retail sales will increase 0.3 percent in August following a 0.4 percent rise in July.

Retailers are reporting surprisingly solid gains for August even as unusually hot weather and job worries kept a lid on back-to-school buying.

Shoppers spent slightly more last month than they had the year before, but sales were far short of 2008 levels, heralding what could be a disappointing holiday shopping season.

Retail sales fell in June for the second straight month, more evidence that the U.S. economic recovery will slow in the second half of the year.

Spending fell 1.2%, the biggest dip in eight months. Auto sales were down 1.7%. Retail sales plunged in May by the largest amount in eight months as consumers slashed spending on everything from cars to clothing.

Retailers are reporting tepid business in May after cool weather and fresh concerns about the economy had shoppers cutting spending on clothing and other nonessentials.