Many consumers stayed home last month. Total retail sales declined 0.3% during January following no change in December, revised from 0.4% reported initially. November's 0.8% gain was revised from 0.9%. A 0.2% increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, retail sales were flat (+4.2% y/y) following a 0.1% rise, revised from 0.4%. It was the weakest monthly change since June. A 0.5% increase had been expected.

Sales of most discretionary items moderated last month. A 1.3% decline (+1.5% y/y) in sales of motor vehicles & parts was the third consecutive monthly shortfall. It compared to a 3.9% decline in unit auto sales reported earlier this month. Purchases of building materials fell 2.4% (+3.6% y/y) after a 0.7% rise. Sporting goods, hobby, book & music store sales weakened 0.8% (-7.1% y/y), off for the third straight month. Sales of nonstore retailers held steady (10.2% y/y) after a 0.5% increase. Furniture & home furnishing store sales also were stable (3.3% y/y) after a 1.5% decline. Rising a modest 0.2% (3.0% y/y) were general merchandise store sales following a 0.3% gain. Showing more improvement were sales at electronics & appliance stores with a 0.5% increase (1.6% y/y), the fifth consecutive month of strength. Clothing & accessory store sales rebounded 1.2% (1.9% y/y) after a 1.2% drop. Gasoline station sales rose 1.6% (9.0% y/y) with higher prices, following a 0.3% gain.

Sales of nondiscretionary items softened last month. Health & personal care store sales fell 1.2% (+0.5% y/y), the third straight monthly shortfall. Food & beverage store sales eased slightly (+3.6% y/y) following a 0.4% rise.

Food service & drinking establishment sales held steady (2.1 y/y) after a 0.9% rise. This performance followed three months of firm gains.

The retail sales data can be found in Haver's USECON database. The Action Economics forecast is in the AS1REPNA database.