ML-Implode News - U.S. retail holiday sales rose 4.9%, biggest increase since 2011 (per Mastercard, at least...)

Despite thousands of storeÂ closings this year, Americans supplied a final flurry of spending to giveÂ retailers their best holiday season sales since 2011, figures released Tuesday show.
U.S. year-end holiday retail sales rose 4.9% compared to the same period last year, a welcome gift to U.S. retailers amid new signs of consumer confidence.

Online retail shopping similarly increased 18.1%, while overall consumer buying during the holiday period set a record for dollars spent, according to the sales report issued by Mastercard SpendingPulse.

Wonder how much of this is just consumers borrowing more...

Relevant:

U.S. retail holiday sales rose 4.9%, biggest increase since 2011 (per Mastercard, at least...)