📰 *US DEC. RETAIL SALES RISE 0.4% M/M; EST. +0.6% *US DEC. RETAIL SALES EX-AUTO RISE 0.4% M/M; EST. +0.4% *US DEC. RETAIL SALES EX AUTOS, GAS RISE 0.3% M/M; PREV. 0.2% *US DEC. RETAIL ‘CONTROL GROUP’ SALES RISE 0.7% M/M; PREV. 0.4%