Retail Sales Disappoint, Jobless Claims Rise: Is US Consumer Losing Steam? - SPDR S&P 500 (ARCA:SPY), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

1. U.S. retail sales increased 0.4% in December; weaker than expected. 2. E-commerce, including Amazon, saw a slowdown in growth to 0.2%. 3. Initial jobless claims rose to 217,000, indicating a cooling labor market. 4. Some retail sectors thrived while others, like building materials, declined. 5. Consumer spending continues but shows signs of uneven growth.