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As it turns out, January was for shopping.

Retail spending soared 5.3 percent last month compared to December, much more than anticipated, as U.S. families began receiving new federal coronavirus relief checks.

People bought more across the board last month, the Commerce Department 

: furniture, electronics, clothes, sports equipment, restaurant food, groceries. 

, hard-hit department stores saw the biggest gains. Spending there jumped 23.5 percent compared to December,

still below what it was before the pandemic hit, but inching closer. 

Overall, most retail categories have surged past and beyond their pre-pandemic levels. Only five remain down compared to January of last year: clothing stores (-11.1 percent), gas stations (-7.8 percent), electronics and appliance stores (-3.5 percent), department stores (-3 percent) and of course restaurants and bars (-16.6 percent).

Retail sales — which include spending on household goods and clothing, gasoline and cars, food and drink — are a key factor for U.S. economic health. In late 2020, this measure had declined for three months straight. Wednesday's report also revised

 to show a slightly deeper decline of 1 percent. 

Here's where people were spending in January, compared to December, according to the Commerce Department data:

Business and Economic News

Alina Selyukh

Author

Retail sales soared 5.3 percent last month compared to December, much more than anticipated, as U.S. families began receiving new federal coronavirus relief checks.

Shoppers splurged in January as new stimulus checks arrived

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