Retail Sales Probably Rose on Job Gains: U.S. Economy Preview

Sales at U.S. retailers probably grew in January as an improving job market helped consumers cope with an increase in the payroll tax, economists said before a report this week.

The projected 0.1 percent rise would follow a 0.5 percent advance in December, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 68 economists before Feb. 13 figures from the Commerce Department. Another report may show factory production is expanding.