Fall in Dec retail sales points to slowdown in Q4 GDP growth
Inflation may not hit Fed target of 2% after producer prices fall on weak energy costs
Washington
US RETAIL sales fell in December as unseasonably warm weather undercut purchases of winter apparel and cheaper petrol weighed on receipts at service stations, the latest indication that economic growth braked sharply in the fourth quarter.
Other data on Friday showed producer prices fell last month on weak energy costs and modest gains in the price of services, suggesting inflation could struggle to reach the Federal Reserve's 2 per cent target this year.
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