News of the Day February 10, 2026
U.S. Retail Sales Were Flat in December

Retail sales were unchanged in December from the prior month, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, down sharply from November’s 0.6% increase. The figures are adjusted for seasonal swings but not inflation.

Retail sales declined across most of the categories tracked by the Commerce Department, falling the most at furniture stores (-0.9%) and at so-called miscellaneous stores (-0.9). Meanwhile, retail spending edged higher in a handful of categories, rising the most at home improvement stores (1.2%.)

A measure of retail sales that strips out volatile categories and gives a better indication of underlying demand — widely known as the control group — fell 0.1% in December.