November retail sales top Wall Street's expectations

Published On Dec 17, 2024, 8:34 AM

November retail sales in the U.S. increased by 0.7%, surpassing Wall Street's expectations of a 0.6% rise. This growth signifies consumer resilience and a positive start to the holiday shopping season. Retail sales for October were also revised upward to a 0.5% increase. However, excluding auto and gas, sales rose only 0.2%, missing the forecast of 0.4%. Investors are particularly focused on these figures as they provide insights into the economy's health, especially before the Fed's anticipated interest rate cuts. Recent economic data has exceeded expectations, indicating stability in the U.S. economy and influencing market outlooks on Federal Reserve policy.

Stock Forecasts

The positive retail sales data indicates sustained consumer spending, which is a strong sign for the economy. As the holiday shopping season progresses, consumer confidence is likely to boost market performance, particularly in retail and consumer-focused sectors.

While the control group data aligns with expectations, the lower-than-expected rise in retail sales excluding autos and gas suggests cautious consumer behavior. This might temper enthusiasm about retail sector stocks in the short term.

Related News

Wall Street sees the central bank cutting interest rates on Wednesday. But growing worries about inflation are adding to investor uncertainty about its policy agenda for 2025.

The Fed meeting kicks off with investors on alert for clues to the path of rates after the widely expected December cut.

A consensus has emerged about the 2025 stock market outlook. But while there's only one bear, the bear-case has some agreement about at least a few of the potential risks. A big one? Europe. But it's also an upside.

SPY
IEV