December's total retail sales increased slightly by 0.2 percent month-over-month. November was revised down to a 0.4 percent increase from a 0.7 percent increase. Meanwhile, core retail sales (excluding auto, gas, and building materials) posted a solid increase of 0.7 percent in December. Non-store retail sales continued to increase for the fourth consecutive month, posting a 1.4 percent gain in December. Year-over-year core sales were the strongest they have been since December 2012.
