US retail sales up better than expected

Retail sales rose more than expected in November and businesses unexpectedly increased their inventories in October, boosting hopes the fragile economic recovery will get support from the critical consumer sector and as businesses start restocking their depleted shelves.

www.usatoday.com...

But before you optimists open the champagne, note this:

A 6% surge in sales at service stations, partly reflecting higher gasoline prices, led the overall gain. But even excluding that, retail sales posted a respectable 0.8% rise in November.

HAHAHAHAHA! Pathetic!



www.usatoday.com...

This is only becuase of the holidays with xmas coming up...come january/february, theyll drop like a ton of bricks..

I notice one thing they aren't reporting is what really counts, profit. I read an article a few days back about Wal-Mart posting an increase in sales, but a drop in profit. That is a really telling sign. Also it isn't out of the question that business were already running a low stock to begin with so any increase in inventory could be spun as "good".

This is starting to get really scary, things are not looking good at all.

November Retail Sales...(The Market Ticker)

And I'll add an earlier article by KD on the same subject:

Another Real Black Friday Number....(The Market Ticker)

The latter article draws data from POS terminals(Point Of Sale software running on Cash Registers).

puh-leeze. they've been telling us the "recession" is over since fall of '08.

reply to post by eldard


I read this stuff, too. I also read other articles that have an opposite opinon. I call them opinions, because these various articles pull out statistics that are in opposition. I can go to the same websites of MSM's and find contradicting opinions and statitics. At the very same websites!

Here's the real deal. People are still losing jobs. The jobs are not coming back. Yes, seasonal employment oppotunities cause a jump in temporary employment.

Black Friday was a success. No it wasn't. Just grab hold of whatever analysis that fulfills your hopes.

Some folks are still using their credit cards. That's what is keeping our economy afloat. That will end soon. Rates of 29.99 percent will be the norm after this month. It's unsustainable. I have a credit card. I've been a good debt buddy to the bank. My interest rate was 16.99 percent, which I thought was really crazy. Too high. And so I don't use it very often. Just got a notice that the interest rate will now become 29.99 percent. Do you think I will use it again? Nope. It's already cut up and tossed in the fire bin.

The bottom hasn't even begun to fall out from under the American consumer.

i'm looking with interest to see how the outcome of the Christmas shopping season ends up. I suspect at first it will be good news, based upon weak indicators. Eventually we will find out it was all a bust.

reply to post by Donnie Darko


No. Actually, Cramer did not begin harping that the recession was over until about March of '09.



[edit on 12/13/2009 by eldard]

Retail is a good tell tale marker insofar as the mood of a populace I believe.

For example when you see a spike in gun sales it really was a emotionally motivated anomaly which I am sure drew the interests of those in charge.

For example Homeland Security just ordered millions and millions of rounds from Winchester in response to what...

Somebody's in the mood the protect our borders.

The Canadian Border patrol are finally getting guns.

Nevertheless I am currently mentally bent toward the idea it is already to late.

I am currently squeezing every bit of joy and trying to give every bit of joy I can as well as trying to quietly energize myself spiritually.


I think we might have 20 years of change and that would be considered a fast change in our society.

So even if retail sales are up a bit it does not resolve the larger issues.






[edit on 13-12-2009 by whiteraven]

Please keep in mind that it is in business' best interest, as well as that of the government, to make us all believe that our friends and neighbors are out shopping. They know that we'll tend to do what we feel others are doing. So, the MSM reports (and there certainly are alot of them on a daily basis) are telling us that our friends and neighbors are out hitting the mall.

I don't believe them. I'm confident that they are cooking the numbers for effect. People are hurting and scared for their jobs (if they even have jobs), banks have pulled back on credit and cancelled millions of credit cards. This does not add up to holiday shopping. When all is said and done, I believe we're going to learn that this holiday was a blood-bath.

To tell you the truth, this year I have spend more than I did at least the last two years together.

Why? no because we have more money, actually the IRS is leeching extra income from my husband check since October, but I just felt that I needed to support my local economy that is at an all time 100 % unemployment, then the hiring for the holidays has been high in my neck of the woods even when small businesses can not afford the extra employees but with the unemployment so high this means a better holidays for some people even if is temporarily.

I don't know about you people, but at least I am trying to help and also I am tired of been in the whole economic blues for so long.

I know that things will be very bad once the holidays are over but at lest lest just be happy at least for a few weeks.

reply to post by marg6043


That is only delaying the inevitable, though. The sooner people prepare themselves, the better.

No offense to the OP, but this is complete and utter BULL CRAP.

They lie like rugs and are told to lie constantly. I dont know anyone who hasnt cut back and hardly anyone is shopping, including myself.

This is nothing but PROPAGANDA at its finest.

reply to post by marg6043


I like your attitude. I am going to eventually buy something that makes me happy, like books, and stuff i can play with, because i have a feeling that soon we wont have a damned thing. Who would have thunk!!!!!

reply to post by eldard


I think, people have been preparing, I have, but that doesn't means that we can not hope for a littler bit and be merry for a few weeks.

reply to post by dgtempe


I know, is just that so far, the bargains has been very good!!!!! I mean when was the last time you could find something under 20 dollars in a major retail store or brand name store!!!!!! bargains are every where.

Now I will have to postpone that over due facial filler I been wanting to get because I am starting to see the smiling lines getting too deep but at least is from been happy.

reply to post by marg6043


That's understandable and all but when you're in survival mode would thinking back to a happy time when you were eating that delicious dessert help at all? It would simply add to the torture.

reply to post by eldard


Tell me about it, I would no dare to buy anything that is not something I could use for a long time.

So the luxuries have to wait for better times.

reply to post by marg6043


I've been postponing similar purchases... and cosmetics seem to have gone up.

The old crappy pink tube mascara is $5 now.

I have some friends who were massage therapist and one that did laser hair removal etc... they are all outta work.

reply to post by zz0409


Yes I have noticed that certain things are getting expensive while others are just bargains that are hard to let go.

Clothing is one of them, the bargains are just incredible.

Food is not so, can milk is just outrageous, I remember last year by this same time I could find can milk for 50 cents, now is over a dollar, and this walMart!!!!!!!!.