holidays

No Q2 Hope From Retail Sales

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April Retail Sales has assuredly disappointed Wall Street and is just one report in a series indicating the U.S. economy has gone into standby mode.  Retail sales had no growth and even excluding gasoline sales only grew 0.1%.  Autos & parts dropped -0.4% for the month.  Without autos & parts sales, April retail sales increased 0.1%.  Gasoline sales declined by -0.7%.

March Retail Sales Increase 0.9% on Autos

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The March 2015 Retail Sales report shows retail sales increased 0.9% for the month as auto sales had a major comeback increase of 2.8%.  Without autos & parts sales, March retail sales increased 0.4%.  Gasoline sales declined by -0.6%.  Building materials had a good month with a 2.1% sales increase.  Retail sales have now increased 1.3% from a year ago.

December Retail Sales Plunge on Cheap Gas

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The December 2014 Retail Sales report shows retail sales declined -0.9% for the month.  As gasoline prices plunged, sales as gas stations dropped a whopping -6.5%.  Holiday sales on the other hand, were up 4.0%.  Retail sales have now increased 3.2% from a year ago.  December retail sales was not just about gas prices as most categories had monthly declines.

Retail Sales Up 0.2% for December as Holiday Sales Grow By 3.8%

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December 2013 Retail Sales increased 0.2% for the month on groceries, booze, gas and clothing.  Retail sales have now increased 4.1% from a year ago.  Electronics & Appliances tanked with their sales down -2.5% for December.  Auto sales plunged -1.9% from the previous month, but that's OK, they are still up 6.2% for the year.  Holiday sales increased 3.8%, a fine showing of more consumerism in America.

Retail Sales for December 2011 Increase Only 0.1%, Give Lump of Coal to Wall Street

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December 2011 Retail Sales increased 0.1%. Minus autos & parts retail sales dropped -0.2%. November retail sales were revised up to 0.4% from 0.2%. Retail sales are up 6.5% from the same time last year. Electronics and Appliance stores plunged -3.9% during December, the holiday season. Gas sales dropped -1.6%. Retail sales are reported by dollars, not by volume, so dropping prices often reports as a decline in sales.

Holiday Retail Sales a Bust

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Remember before the holidays the press headlines were not about the long term unemployed, or that 50% of Americans make less than $26,261 a year, or how 14% of Americans are on food stamps, and to qualify for food stamps, you are dirt poor, really broke.

Nope, the major press kept on pounding some consumer mirage that Americans were out shopping in droves. Guess what? December retail sales are a bust.

From Oct. 31-Jan. 1, holiday revenue at stores open at least a year rose 3.8 percent over last year, according to an index compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers. The figure is the biggest increase since 2006, when it rose 4.4 percent.

The index tailed off to a 3.1 percent increase in December after a 5.4 percent rise in November.

According to MarketWatch, here are the losers in retail sales:

Against high expectations for a brighter holiday season, more retailers reported shortfalls than upside surprises in December sales Thursday, raising concerns that profit-eroding discounts may increase in January to clear excess inventory.