Lower than expected retail sales in January, but Unemployment is down

Total retail sales increased 0.4%, but economists had projected a 0.7% increase. The economy is very reflective in the way Americans shop, consumer spending accounts for about 70% of U.S economic activity.Core retail sales rose 0.7% in January which was in fact slightly better than the forecast prediction of 0.5%. On the employment front, the Labor Department has reported that an impressive 243,000 jobs have been added in the month of January. The unemployment rate now stands at 8.3% which is down from 8.5%.Consumer confidence fell in January after two months of big holiday gains, are Americans becoming more concerned about their incomes, and rising gas prices?