Retail sales saw strong growth in December, as holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 grew 4.1%, meeting the National Retail Federation (NRF)’s forecast of growth between 3.7% and 4.2% over the same period in 2024, according to the “CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor” report, powered by Affinity Solutions.This winter peak season, a late Thanksgiving pushed Cyber Monday into December of 2025, so an additional busy day of holiday spending is included in December’s data. December’s numbers brought total 2025 sales as calculated by the Retail Monitor to an increase of 4.93% over 2024 and core sales to an increase of 5.08%.“December Retail Monitor data saw a sharp surge in growth as consumers continued prioritizing holiday spending on family and friends,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a release. “Continued economic momentum helped land 2025 holiday sales near the top of NRF’s forecast, reaffirming that consumers remain on solid footing. Unlike survey-based numbers collected by the Census Bureau, the Retail Monitor uses actual, anonymized credit and debit card purchase data compiled by Affinity Solutions and does not need to be revised monthly or annually.
