January Retail Sales Declined 0.9% from Dec., Up 4.2% YOY

Washington, DC, February 14, 2025--Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for January 2025 were $723.9 billion, down 0.9% from the previous month, and up 4.2% from January 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Total sales for the November 2024 through January 2025 period were up 4.2% from the same period a year ago. The November 2024 to December 2024 percent change was revised from up 0.4% to up 0.7%.

Retail trade sales were down 1.2% from December 2024, and up 4.0% from last year. Motor vehicle and parts dealers were up 6.4% from last year, while food service and drinking places were up 5.4% from January 2024.

“New data out Friday showed retail sales declined more than expected in the first month of 2025,” reports Yahoo Finance. “Headline retail sales fell 0.9% in January, more than the 0.2% decline economists had expected, according to Bloomberg data. This marked the largest month-over-month decline in retail sales since January 2024.

“Retail sales in December were revised up to 0.7% from a prior reading that showed a 0.4% increase in the month, according to Census Bureau data.”