WASHINGTON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Retail sales in the United States rose 0.3 percent in December, much better than the 0.2-percent decline economists had expected, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

Last month, auto sales declined 2 percent, reflecting in part the recall problems at Toyota. Excluding autos, retail sales in February rose 0.8 percent.

Sales for all of 2009 declined 6.2 percent compared with 2008, the largest decline since 1992. It was only the second decline on record.

Shoppers select goods at a Macy's store in New York, the United States, March 12, 2010. The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday in a report that sales at retailers unexpectedly increased 0.3 percent in February despite the fact that blizzards made it difficult for consumers to get to the malls, showing Americans were more willing to spend money

Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of economic activity, is the broad measure of U.S. economic activity.