Retail Sales Up 0.6% in November, Higher Than Expected

Core Insights - The November retail sales report indicates a rebound in consumer spending, with headline sales increasing by 0.6% compared to a decline of 0.1% in October, surpassing the expected growth of 0.5% [1] Group 1: Retail Sales Performance - Advance estimates for U.S. retail and food services sales in November 2025 reached $735.9 billion, reflecting a 0.6% increase from the previous month and a 3.3% increase from November 2024 [1] - Total sales from September 2025 to November 2025 rose by 3.6% compared to the same period the previous year [1] - The percent change from September 2025 to October 2025 was revised from virtually unchanged to a decrease of 0.1% [1] Group 2: Sector-Specific Performance - Retail trade sales increased by 0.6% from October 2025 and were up 3.1% compared to the previous year [2] - Nonstore retailers experienced a significant increase of 7.2% from last year, while food service and drinking places saw a rise of 4.9% from November 2024 [2]