Holiday retail sales rise by 4.9%, report says
NEW YORK — Retail sales this holiday season increased 4.9% compared to last year and set a new record for total dollars spent, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse study results released on Tuesday. That represents the largest year-over-year increase since 2011, the study found. Online shopping increased by 18.1%. The SpendingPulse report details holiday shopping that