A shopper carries Target bags in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.<\/p>\n
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Consumers activity slowed sharply for the December holiday shopping season amid a spate of rough weather and persistently higher inflation, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Retail sales were flat on the month following a 0.6% increase in November, according to numbers adjusted for seasonality but not inflation. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had expected an increase of 0.5%. Excluding autos, sales also were unchanged, against the estimate for a 0.3% increase.<\/p>\n
On an annual basis, sales rose 2.4%, a considerable step down from the 3.3% pace in November. Sales ex-autos were up 3.3% annually in December.<\/p>\n
The report puts a downbeat end to an otherwise solid year for shopping activity, with higher-end consumers spending briskly through much of 2025, though those on the lower end of the income spectrum were more cautious.<\/p>\n
The shopping pace failed to keep up with inflation, as the consumer price index for December posted a 2.7% increase.<\/p>\n
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