U.S. retail sales rise in November

Retail sales in the U.S. rose by an unexpected 0.7 percent in November, according to U.S. Commerce Department data, while October’s preliminary estimate was revised upward to a 0.5 percent gain. Economists expected an increase of 0.5 percent. In LBM and garden categories, sales fell to $40.71 billion from $45.08 billion,