Consumer Cos Down After Weak Retail Sales, Confidence Data -- Consumer Roundup

Shares of retailers and other consumer companies fell after weak readings of consumer spending and confidence.

Retail sales, a measure of purchases at stores, restaurants and online, declined a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in December from the prior month, the Commerce Department said. Meanwhile, the preliminary estimate of the University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment was 79.2 in January, down from 80.7 in December. The data followed a surprisingly large increase in new jobless applications, reported Thursday.

The French government shot down an offer from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard to acquire the chain-store Carrefour in an effort to defend jobs and French food security, The Wall Street Journal reported.

 Write to Rob Curran at [e-mail] 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-15-21 1724ET