WASHINGTON — Retail sales fell 0.3% in December, while sales for the entire year fell the most in 17 years, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.
Meanwhile, excluding autos for the month of December, sales fell 0.2% while sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers fell 0.8%.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters had expected retail sales to increase 0.5% in December and for sales excluding autos to increase 0.3%.