December Retail Sales Rose 5.4% YOY

Washington, DC, January 12, 2018-Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for December 2017 were $495.4 billion, an increase of 0.4% from the previous month, and 5.4% above December 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Total sales for the 12 months of 2017 were up 4.2% from 2016. Total sales for the October 2017 through December 2017 period were up 5.5% from the same period a year ago. The October 2017 to November 2017 percent change was revised from up 0.8% to up 0.9%.

Retail trade sales were up 0.3% from November 2017, and were up 5.6% from last year. Nonstore Retailers were up 12.7% from December 2016, while Building Materials and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers were up 9.9% from last year.