After three months of declines, retail sales soared a seasonally adjusted 5.3% in January from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Feb. 17.

Retail sales fell 1.1% in November, the biggest drop in seven months, as Americans held back on spending at the start of the holiday shopping season.

NEW YORK — Retail sales in the U.S. rose 1.9% in September, the 5th consecutive month of growth.

Americans kept spending in August, but the pace of that growth is slowing as millions of people who lost jobs have now lost a $600-a-week boost in their unemployment checks.

U.S. retail sales strengthened in December, thanks to a late holiday-shopping rush that wrapped up a more moderate year of spending at the nation’s merchants.

WASHINGTON — U.S. retail sales rose moderately in August, driven higher by a jump in auto buying and healthy online sales. But there also were signs that consumers have become more cautious.

The impact of Target Corp.’s weekend register glitch won’t show up until the retailer discloses quarterly revenue in August, but it could have cost the company about $50 million in lost sales, according to one analyst.

The Home Depot Inc. failed to fully rebound from a lackluster end to last year, with the company saying a calendar adjustment added to the drag from wet weather. Tariffs also weighed on the stock, with the company saying that a recent increase in duties isn’t included in its guidance.

U.S. retail sales jumped by the most since September 2017 as gains in motor vehicles and gasoline stations boosted sales, signaling consumers are giving the economy greater support.

U.S. retail sales unexpectedly eased in February on declines in grocery stores and building materials, which could reflect cooler weather, though also may signal further headwinds for the economy in the first quarter.