Holiday Shopping Boosts U.S. Retail Sales

U.S. retail sales perked up in November, as cheaper gas and an improving job market fueled a promising start to the holiday shopping season. Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent, the most in eight months, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Excluding gas stations, sales climbed a healthy 0.9 percent. Spending on motor vehicles accelerated 1.7 percent, while purchases at clothiers, online retailers, electronics stores and department stores all expanded. Nonstore retailers, which include online and mail order outlets, rose 1 percent.