Retail sales up in November

WASHINGTON – America’s shoppers still have some buying spirit, pushing sales at the nation’s retailers higher in November and raising hopes for the holiday season.

The Commerce Department reported Monday that retail sales rose 0.1 percent to $344.4 billion in November from the previous month – even with a sharp drop in automobile sales.

The newest snapshot of consumers’ buying appetite was a bit brighter than the flat showing in sales that economists were expecting.

To be sure, consumers were more selective in their purchases in November, compared with October. Retail sales increased 0.8 percent in October from the previous month, according to revised figures. That was much stronger than the 0.2 percent increase first estimated.

Especially heartening to economists was a figure in the retail report that is a closely watched indicator of consumers’ spending mood. By that gauge, sales at merchants other than automobile sellers rose a solid 0.5 percent in November, exceeding some analysts’ forecasts for a 0.3 percent gain.

Economists like to look at that figure because automobile sales can bounce around a lot from month to month.

Shoppers in November spent on electronics and appliances, building materials and garden supplies, groceries and other items. They boosted sales at bars and restaurants. But they cut back on cars, clothes and sporting goods, books and music.