The December retail sales report comes as investors are closely watching for signs of health in the consumer as the Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates higher for longer than initially hoped.

U.S. retail sales faded over the final month of the year, but a key reading on spending that feeds into economic-growth figures powered higher, adding further complexity to inflation forecasts heading into 2025.

December 2024 retail sales were positive but slightly below expectations, with a monthly increase of 0.4%. Four consecutive retail expansions bode well for Q4 2024 GDP.