This 'n' Data

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that total January food and retail sales figures, which do include gas, restaurant and automobile sales, moved up .1 percent since December, seasonally adjusted month-to-month, and increased 4.7 percent adjusted year-over-year.

The National Retail Federation predicts a 3.4 percent increase in retail sales for 2013, according to a report released at the end of January. The number, which excludes automobile, gas and restaurant sales, is slightly less than the preliminary 4.2 percent growth reported in 2012.

SHOP.ORG, NRF’s digital division, expects online sales in 2013 to jump between 9 and 12 percent. Online sales in 2012 during November and December grew 11.1 percent.

RETAIL SALES GREW SLIGHTLY IN JANUARY 2013, ACCORDING TO THE NRF, NUDGING UP BY .3 PERCENT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED FROM DECEMBER, AND INCREASED 5.4 PERCENT UNADJUSTED YEAR-OVER-YEAR. (THE NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE CAR, GAS AND RESTAURANT SALES.)