December 2018 US retail sales data
- Worst month since 2009
- Prior was +0.2%
- Control group -1.7% vs +0.4% exp
- Prior control group +0.9%
- Ex autos -1.8% vs +0.0% exp
- Prior ex autos +0.2%
- Ex autos and gas -1.4% vs +0.4% expected
- Prior ex autos and gas +0.5%
- 11 of 13 categories lower
- Full report
This data point is delayed by a month due to the government shutdown but it's for December, which is the key month for retailers.
The numbers are dismal and underscore my belief that holiday shopping is being pulled forward towards Black Friday every year. This is the worst reading since 2009 on the headline and the worst since 2000 on the control group.
This has the potential to be a game-changer for markets.
