From Zacks Investment Research: 2025-01-17 15:04:08

In December, retail sales grew at a slower pace than expected, up 0.3% compared to the anticipated 0.4% increase. Some sectors, like clothing and furniture/home furnishings stores, saw faster growth. ETFs like XRT, RTH, and IEDI benefitted from successful December sales. Clothing stores experienced a 1.5% increase in sales, with the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) offering exposure to U.S. retail stocks. Miscellaneous store retailers saw a 4.3% increase, with Walmart (WMT) evolving into an omnichannel player. Furniture and home furnishing stores grew by 2.3%, benefiting the iShares U.S. Consumer Focused ETF (IEDI). Food and beverage stores saw a 0.8% increase, with the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) offering exposure to the sector.



Read more at Zacks Investment Research: 4 ETF Sectors to Win Despite Moderate Retail Sales in December – January 17, 2025