Stong Retail Sales Reported for Week Of 12/20

"Very strong" is how ICSC-Goldman describes holiday sales in the December 20 week, up a same-store 3.1 percent and a year-on-year 3.4 percent. "Consumers unleashed a late shopping surge" according to the report which sees a continuation of the surge in the ongoing week.

...meanwhile...

Redbook reports a surge in holiday spending in the December 20 week, to a year-on-year same-store plus 5.3 percent for a 1.1 percentage point gain from the prior week.