U.S. Retail Sales Rise in November

Specialty store sales rose 2.7% in November compared with October, and department stores sales increased 2.8%, according to a new report from the Commerce Department.

In 12-month comparisons, specialty stores saw sales advance 7.5% to $18.8 billion. Department store sales rose 1.5% compared with a year earlier to $15.7 billion.

Sales at general merchandise stores rose 1.3% month-to-month and increased 5% compared with a year earlier to $51.9 billion.

In the overall economy retail sales rose 0.8% in November compared with October, and advanced 7.7% to $378.7 billion year-over-year.