Retail Sales Rise Less Than Expected.

Sales at U.S. retailers rose slightly less than
expected in December, but retail sales for all of
2010 reversed two years of contraction and
posted the biggest gain in more than a decade, a
government report showed on Friday.
Total retail sales climbed 0.6%, advancing for the
sixth straight month as sales declines at
electronics and general merchandise stores were
offset by gains in gasoline and building materials
sales, the said. Analysts
polled by Reuters were expecting sales to gain
0.8%.
Excluding autos, sales rose 0.5%. Analysts had
forecast a 0.7% increase.
Total sales for the 12 months of 2010 were up
6.65% from the previous year after a 6.5% drop
in 2009. It was the largest 12-month gain in sales
since 1999.

Source: Http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/01/14/retail-sales-rise-expected/