U.S. December retail sales rose 3.2%, lower than expected by heavy snow

U.S. market research firm Retail Metrics Inc said in a report, U.S. retailers in December retail sales rose by 3.2%, less than analysts had expected 3.4%. Snowstorm swept through the eastern end of 12, making an already hot selling season was not a small impact.

According to the report, U.S. retailers in December retail sales rose by 3.2%, below market expectations. Prior to this, Thomson Reuters (Thomson Reuters) Analysts forecast a growth rate of 3.4%. November compared to a large-than-expected retail burst growth rate of 5.6%, a moderate pullback in December retail results, suggesting that the U.S. economic recovery is still weak.

12 at the end of the storm swept across the northeastern United States, making an already hot selling season was not a small impact. More than a foot of snow and snow clean-up after slow to leave the people to stay in the home. Affected by this turmoil, from the largest U.S. department store Macy's (Macys), the second-largest discount chain Target, as well as the largest clothing brand Gap, 12 months sales were below expectations.

Macy is the first time in years in the December shopping season in the lower than expected, CEO Terry (Terry Lundgren), said the storm "destroyed" after the Christmas spending. Target 12 Retail 0.9% performance increase, far below the agency expected 3.9%; Gap's retail sales down 3%.

Affected by this news, the morning the S & P 500 Retail Index fell 1 percent to 503.98, Gap fell 1.60 to 20.63 U.S. dollars; Target fell 3.79 to 55.15 U.S. dollars, the largest decline in nearly two years.