Thanksgiving Weekend Sales Rise 0.5% as Crowds Shop for Deals

Bloomberg reports:

U.S. retail sales on Black Friday and the weekend after Thanksgiving advanced 0.5 percent from a year earlier as discounts on electronics and toys drew budget- conscious crowds, according to the National Retail Federation.

Total spending rose to $41.2 billion from $41 billion a year earlier, the Washington-based trade group said in a statement today, citing a survey conducted by polling firm BIGresearch. NRF said it is sticking to a forecast for spending to fall 1 percent this season. While more people visited stores and Web sites, the average shopper spent $343.31, less than $372.57 a year ago, the retail federation said.