The post-election bump on Wall Street has supported a rise in confidence from 87.2 in October to 93.7 for November, the third highest monthly gain since the end of the recession. Rising consumer optimism was evident in November’s 3.7 percent year-over-year growth in core retail sales, which was well above the 2.2 percent yearly average from the previous 12-month period.
Retail sales growth was supported by exceptional gains in the health and personal care category, where sales vaulted 6.2 percent over the past year. Retailer Ulta Beauty has capitalized on a growing trend of providing services as well as selling products, leading the company to undertake a dramatic expansion. Plans call for doubling the store count to 2,000 locations and hiring 2,500 workers.
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