Money Control Place
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Stocks
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Stocks
  • Investing

Money Control Place

Business

Retail sales slumped 0.9% in January, down much more than expected

by admin February 15, 2025
February 15, 2025
Retail sales slumped 0.9% in January, down much more than expected

Consumers sharply curtailed their spending in January, indicating a potential weakening in economic growth ahead, according to a Commerce Department report Friday.

Retail sales slipped 0.9% for the month from an upwardly revised 0.7% gain in December, even worse than the Dow Jones estimate for a 0.2% decline. The sales totals are adjusted for seasonality but not inflation for a month, in which prices rose 0.5%.

Excluding autos, prices fell 0.4%, also well off the consensus forecast for a 0.3% increase. A “control” measure that strips out several nonessential categories and figures directly into calculations for gross domestic product fell 0.8% after an upwardly revised increase of 0.8%.

With consumer spending making up about two-thirds of all economic activity in the U.S., the sales numbers indicate a potential weakening in growth for the first quarter.

Receipts at sporting goods, music and book stores tumbled 4.6% on the month, while online outlets reported a 1.9% decline and motor vehicles and parts spending dropped 2.8%. Gas stations along with food and drinking establishments both reported 0.9% increases.

Stock market futures held in slightly negative territory following the release, while Treasury yields lost ground. Traders raised bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates again as soon as June.

“The drop was dramatic, but several mitigating factors show there’s no cause for alarm. Some of it can be chalked up to bad weather, and some to auto sales tanking in January after an unusual surge in December due to fat dealer incentives,” said Robert Frick, corporate economist with Navy Federal Credit Union. “Especially considering December was revised up strongly, the rolling average of consumer spending remains solid,” Frick added.

Inflation remains ahead of the Fed’s 2% goal. The consumer price index posted a 0.5% gain in January and showed a 3% annual inflation rate. However, the producer price index, a proxy for wholesale prices, showed some softening in key pipeline inputs.

In other economic news Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that import prices accelerated 0.3% in January, in line with expectations for the largest one-month move since April 2024. On a year-over-year basis, import prices increased 1.9%.

Fuel prices increased 3.2% on the month, also the biggest gain since April 2024. Food, feeds and beverage costs rose 0.2% following a 3% surge in December.

Export prices also increased, rising 1.3%.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Intel’s Rising SCTR Score: Why You Should Add This Stock to Your Portfolio
next post
Grocery stores are rationing eggs as supply falls and prices rise

Related Posts

UAW loses Alabama union vote seen as bellwether...

May 18, 2024

A viral theory on TikTok says nice people...

May 2, 2024

United Airlines adds Thailand, Vietnam and Australia flights...

April 3, 2025

IHOP rolls out biscuits menu nationwide for the...

August 29, 2023

U.S. homebuilders raise alarm over tariffs as sentiment...

February 20, 2025

Tiger Woods announces split with Nike, leaving brand’s...

January 9, 2024

Gold bars are selling like hot cakes in...

May 10, 2024

Nissan issues ‘do not drive’ warning for 84,000...

May 31, 2024

Citigroup to lay off 20,000 employees in CEO...

January 13, 2024

Wall Street CEOs say proposed banking rules would...

December 7, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • Fed Watch: Key Bullish Patterns in the S&P 500, Utilities, and Crypto

    • Three Charts to Watch for an “All Clear” Signal

    • Use This Multi-Timeframe MACD Signal for Precision Trades

    • The Unpredictable Stock Market: How to Make Sense of It

    • Crypto Market Recap: New Hampshire Launches First State Crypto Reserve, Trump Stirs Controversy

    • SAGA Metals Extends Claims at the Radar Ti-V-Fe Project –Securing the Entire Titanomagnetite-Bearing Intrusion

    Categories

    • Business (1,181)
    • Investing (2,402)
    • Politics (3,699)
    • Stocks (1,551)
    • Uncategorized (20)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: MoneyControlPlace.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 moneycontrolplace.com | All Rights Reserved