Retail Sales increased 0.3% for January 2011 and is up 7.8% this time a year ago. The three month average of January, December, November 2010 has an increase of 7.6% in comparison to a year ago. December retail sales percentage change was 0.5%, revised.

Motor Vehicles & Parts Dealers increased 0.5% from December to January. Gas retail sales increased 1.4% as did grocery stores. Gas sales are up 12% from a year ago. Non-store retailer's sales increased 1.2% and strange of all strange, building materials, garden, supplies decreased -2.9% in December. .

The below graph is retail sales minus autos & parts, which only increased 0.5% this month.

In terms of that great hyped Christmas retail season, this report shows it was a December bust, as reported earlier.

This is the smallest increase since July 2009 and most of it is gas. Without gas retail sales only rose 0.2% and notice grocery stores increased as much as gas this month. There were record blizzards in January and this also is the 7th month of an increase.

Here are December retail sales unrevised.