Date: February 11, 2026
๐ New U.S. retail sales data shows consumer spending unexpectedly stalled in December 2025, defying expectations and signaling slower momentum at the start of 2026 ๐ง. Instead of rising as economists forecasted, total retail sales were essentially flat, pointing to caution among American shoppers. ๏ฟฝ
Trading Economics +1
๐ What Happened? ๐
๐ Retail sales were unchanged in December โ lower than the forecasted 0.4% increase analysts expected. ๏ฟฝ
Trading Economics
Excluding auto dealers and gas stations, retail sales also ticked down slightly โ a key indicator used in GDP calculations. ๏ฟฝ
Investing.com
Several categories such as electronics, furniture, and clothing saw declines, while some like building materials and online sales showed modest gains. ๏ฟฝ
AP News
๐ก Why This Matters to the Economy ๐ง
US retail sales are a major driver of economic growth โ nearly two-thirds of the economy comes from consumer spending. A miss like this suggests:
๐น Consumers are tightening their wallets as inflation and prices stay high ๐ช
๐น Economic growth may slow earlier than expected ๐
๐น GDP forecasts could be revised downward ๐
๐น Markets may react with added volatility ๐
Economists also note that consumer confidence is at its lowest since 2014, reflecting broader worry about the economy even as wages slow and job growth softens. ๏ฟฝ
AP News
๐ Market & Policy Impact ๐
๐ช Crypto & Risk Assets
Market sentiment often shifts on weak retail data โ as traders reassess risk appetite, volatility can rise across cryptocurrencies and equities alike ๐๐.
๐ฆ Federal Reserve
With consumer spending weakening, traders may predict that the Federal Reserve could delay interest rate increases, or even lean toward cuts later in 2026 to support growth ๐ง .
๐ Stocks
Equity markets have been cautious: futures show weak signals โ the S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures trading slightly softer after the retail update. ๏ฟฝ
Forex
๐ง Key Takeaways ๐
โ Retail sales flatlined in December instead of growing
โ Consumer caution is rising
โ Core retail (excluding big categories) pulled back
โ Economic growth forecasts may be trimmed
โ Markets could remain choppy ahead of more macro data
โจ Bottom Line:
US consumers are slowing down, and when retail sales miss forecasts, it raises red flags about the economyโs health โ and thatโs a story every trader and investor should watch closely. ๐๐.
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