RAPAPORT...  Jewelry sales rose 5.6 percent in the U.S. for the November 1, 2009 through December 24, 2009 period, according to MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse, a macroeconomic report that tracks national retail and service sales. The luxury category, meanwhile, excluding jewelry, experienced a sales increase of 0.8 percent. Both figures represented more positive news following the double-digit sales declines posted by both segments for the 2008 Christmas season. 

The SpendingPulse report revealed that six of ten retail categories posted growth for the 2009 season, supported mainly by stronger activity in the period extending from Black Friday — November 27 — through Christmas Eve. There was also an extra Christmas shopping day this year, which may negatively impact the report's final growth tally by 2 percent to 4 percent.

"The extra shopping day may have given some lift to overall year-over-year comparisons," noted Michael McNamara, the vice president of research and analysis for SpendingPulse.

McNamara explained that last year's early discounting boosted holiday spending in early November 2008, while this year, shopping didn't really take off until Black Friday.

"That shift in sales patterns is one of the factors that made November of this year look weak and December look stronger," McNamara added. "That's why it's important to look at numbers for November and December combined. Finally, several major winter storms disrupted traffic to brick-and-mortar locations that seemed to benefit online shopping growth rates."

Amongst the other categories tracked by SpendingPulse, specialty apparel finished 0.4 percent lower for the season to date. From Black Friday through December 24, 2009, the category was in positive territory, showing a 2.3 percent year-over-year gain. However, this year's extra shopping day increased sales growth rates. Nonetheless, women's apparel sales fell 0.3 percent overall, while men's apparel sales rose 3.9 percent and footwear sales improved by 5 percent. Sales of electronics were strong in November and slowed during December, but overall, this category performed 5.9 percent better than it did one year ago.

LH