In a robust end to the holiday season, U.S. retail sales witnessed a significant surge of 3.8% from November 1 to December 24, driven by last-minute shopping spurred by heavy holiday promotions. According to a Mastercard report, this increase surpassed the anticipated growth of 3.2% forecasted earlier in September. This year’s figure also comfortably exceeded the 3.1% rise recorded during the same period last year, highlighting a notable improvement in consumer spending.

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The Mastercard SpendingPulse report, which tracks both in-store and online retail sales while excluding automotive sales, indicated that the last five days of the shopping season were particularly critical, constituting 10% of all holiday expenditures. This data underscores the impact of strategic retail promotions and the evolving consumer behavior of delaying purchases until the final days before Christmas.

Insights from the IndexBox platform further illuminate the broader retail landscape, revealing that categories such as electronics, apparel, and home furnishings were among the top contributors to this sales boost, reflecting consumers’ preference for seasonal discounts in these sectors.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform