Canadian retail sales grew by 2.5% in December from November at C$69.59 billion ($49.05 billion), led by increased sales at food and beverage retailers, as well as motor vehicle and parts dealers, Statistics Canada said on Friday.

U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in January, dropping a seasonally adjusted 0.9% from December to $723.9 billion, the Commerce Department said. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a drop of 0.

Consumers sharply curtailed their spending in January, indicating a potential weakening in economic growth ahead, according to a Commerce Department report released on Friday.

Canada's retail sales in December grew by a robust 2.5% on a monthly basis, beating analysts' expectations, as a sales tax holiday bumped up spending on food and beverages and people also bought cars and vehicle parts,

According to a Friday U.S. Census Bureau report, retail sales for January were down 0.9% from the December. But total sales for November 2024 - January 2025 were up 4.2%.