U.S. retail sales growth slowed in December 2025, with the year-over-year indicator easing to 2.43%, down from 3.26% in November 2025. The data, updated on 10 February 2026, highlights a moderation in consumer spending at the end of the year.
Both the current and previous readings reflect year-over-year changes, comparing each month’s retail sales performance to the same month a year earlier. While November had shown stronger annual growth, the December figures suggest that the pace of expansion in retail activity has decelerated as the year closed, potentially pointing to more cautious consumer behavior or fading post-pandemic momentum in spending.
The shift from 3.26% to 2.43% underscores a notable cooling in retail dynamics, which market participants and policymakers may watch closely for signs of broader softness in U.S. demand heading into 2026.
