Overview
- Retail sales rose 0.2% in September after a 0.6% gain in August, undershooting expectations as shoppers pulled back on autos, clothing, electronics, and online purchases.
- Core retail sales excluding autos, gasoline, building materials, and food services fell 0.1% in September, signaling softer goods demand.
- The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index dropped to 88.7 in November, the lowest since April, with fewer households planning big-ticket purchases.
- The unemployment rate has climbed to 4.4%, adding to concerns that are informing Federal Reserve deliberations ahead of the December meeting.
- Producer prices rose 0.3% in September on higher energy and food costs, while service-station receipts increased 2.0%, indicating price-driven support for nominal sales.