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US Retail Sales Finish 2025 with December Rise

[ January 28, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

U.S. retail sales posted strong growth in December, bringing 2025 holiday spending in line with forecasts for record results, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.

Holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 rose 4.1 percent from a year earlier, near the upper end of the National Retail Federation’s projected range of 3.7 percent to 4.2 percent, which would place total spending slightly above $1 trillion.

Total retail sales excluding autos and gasoline increased 1.26 percent from November and rose 3.54 percent from a year earlier. Core retail sales, which also exclude restaurants, climbed 1.6 percent month over month and 3.58 percent year over year.

A late Thanksgiving shifted Cyber Monday into December, adding an extra peak shopping day to the month’s totals. For the full year, total sales tracked by the Retail Monitor rose 4.93 percent from 2024, while core sales increased 5.08 percent.

Spending increased across most retail categories in December, with gains led by clothing, sporting goods and digital products. Electronics, furniture and building supplies showed year-over-year declines.

The Retail Monitor is based on anonymized credit and debit card transactions compiled by Affinity Solutions and is not subject to later revisions.

Tags: CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, National Retail Federation