Retail Sales Unchanges in January

Washington, DC, February 14, 2007--Retail sales were unchanged in January, according to the Commerce Department. Sales excluding autos rose 0.3%.

Compared with January of 2006, sales were up 2.3%. The figures are not adjusted for price changes.

Economists were expecting an increase of 0.6% in retail sales and sales excluding autos to increase 0.5%.

Sales in the previous two months were revised higher by a total of 0.1 percentage points. In December, total sales increased 1.2%, and 1.3% excluding autos.

Excluding both autos and gasoline, retail sales rose 0.5% in January, half the 1% gain in December.

Sales of durable goods were uneven. Sales at auto dealers and auto parts stores fell 1.3% after rising 1% in December. Sales at electronics stores dropped 1.2% after a 1.8% gain in December. Sales at furniture stores and at building supply stores rose 0.8%.

Gasoline station sales dropped 0.7%, as the price of gasoline fell.

Sales at the mall were good, mirroring the same-store sales results reported by the retail chains last week.

Sales at general merchandise stores rose 1.3% following a 1.2% gain in December.

Sales at clothing outlets rose 1% after a 1.1% gain in December.

Sales at stores selling sporting goods, books and other leisure-time wares rose 0.5%.

Sales at food stores rose 0.7%, while sales at restaurants fell 0.7%. Sales at health-care and personal-care stores rose 0.6%. Sales at nonstore outlets, such as catalog and online stores, rose 0.5%.