Dec. 29--Early signs point to a healthy holiday season for retailers.
Retail sales from Black Friday to Christmas Eve rose 7.9% compared with last year, according to a survey from MasterCard SpendingPulse.
The results, based on MasterCard spending activity and estimates of cash and check spending, did not include dollar amounts for the holiday season.
E-commerce was the biggest winner, growing about 20% over last year, the survey said.
Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president of market insights for MasterCard Advisors, said there were signs that shoppers were eager to spend, including double-digit growth in furniture sales.
That shows "consumers are willing and able to splurge on big-ticket items," she said in a statement.
Other categories also rose. Apparel sales grew in the high single-digits, the survey said. A decline in men's apparel was offset by double-digit growth on the women's side.
The National Retail Federation, a trade group, forecasts that sales during November and December will climb 3.7% to $630.5 billion, slightly below the 4.1% growth of last year.
Consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity, making retail sales a strong gauge of the nation's economic health.
