Commercial Construction & Renovation

U.S. retail sales rose 0.3 percent in November after declining 0.3 percent the month before, driven in large part to car sales, which hit a four-year high as consumers scrambled to replace storm-ruined vehicles, according to a Commerce Department report. Excluding autos, gas and building materials, sales rose 0.5 percent as holiday shoppers spent on gifts including electronics and apparel. Read the Reuters story here.