RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: NPR's business news begins with disappointing holiday sales.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: Holiday sales rose by less than 1 percent from the year before, according to MasterCard's SpendingPulse unit. That's the slowest growth in spending since the 2008 recession. Even online sales - which posted double digit gains over the past few years - were lackluster this year.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: Analysts said Superstorm Sandy had a lot to do with the slump. Mid-Atlantic states hit hard by Sandy saw steep declines in sales, which in turn dragged down the national tally.
Holiday Sales rose by less than 1 percent from the year before, according to MasterCard's SpendingPulse unit. That's the slowest growth in spending since the 2008 recession. Even online sales — which posted double digit gains over the past few years — were lackluster this year.