US Retail Sales Fall More Than Expected In January, Raise Growth Concerns

Consumer spending took a sharp hit in January, with retail sales plunging far more than expected, raising concerns about the strength of economic growth. The Commerce Department data released on Friday signals potential headwinds as the Federal Reserve assesses its next policy moves.

What Happened: Retail sales contracted 0.9% last month, significantly below economist expectations for a modest 0.2% dip, CNBC reports. The decline follows an upwardly revised 0.7% gain in December, suggesting that the holiday shopping season ended on a strong note before momentum faded.

Excluding automobiles, sales fell 0.4%, missing forecasts of a 0.3% increase. A key control metric, which strips out volatile categories and feeds into GDP calculations, dropped 0.8%.

Spending weakened across multiple sectors. Sporting goods, music and bookstores suffered the steepest losses, with sales plummeting 4.6%. E-commerce saw a 1.9% decline, while vehicle purchases sank 2.8%. Restaurants and gas stations provided a rare bright spot, both recording 0.9% gains.

With consumer activity comprising about two-thirds of the U.S. economy, analysts are closely watching how sustained this downturn might be, CNBC reports.

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Why It Matters: The steep pullback in retail activity coincides with persistent inflationary pressures. The Producer Price Index, which measures wholesale costs, climbed 3.5% year over year in January, continuing an upward trend from prior months. Energy prices played a significant role, climbing 1.7% on the month.

The inflationary backdrop, coupled with weaker retail spending, complicates the Fed's path forward. Some economists point to bad weather and a December sales surge as factors that may have temporarily dampened January figures. The broader trend suggests consumers are feeling the pinch from higher costs, potentially slowing economic growth in the first quarter.

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