Stores in the USA reported a 0.9% decline in sales in January after an increase of 2.2% in December. This was indicated by various retailers at the beginning of the year. Such data was provided by the US Department of Commerce.
This decline in sales was unexpected for economists, who had projected an increase of 0.1%. The decrease was due to falling sales of automobiles, construction materials, grocery products, and electronics.
'It's a weak start for retail sales this year, which leads to doubts about the predicted growth in consumption. This poses a challenge for the economy as a whole,' noted economists.
