Furnishings lead sales growth

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Energized shoppers pushed sales at the nation's retailers up by 0.4 percent in November, the best showing in three months. Sales of furniture and home furnishings posted the biggest gain in nearly two years.

The solid advance came after retail sales fell by 1.5 percent in September and edged up by just 0.1 percent in October, the Commerce Department reported today.

November's sales increase was the largest since August and matched analysts' expectations.

Excluding automobile sales, which can swing widely from month to month, retail sales rose by 0.5 percent in November, a stronger performance than the 0.2 percent rise economists forecast.

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