Article updated: 2/13/2013 10:42 AM

U.S. retail sales rise 0.1 pct. after tax increase

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A woman shops at a Nordstrom store in Chicago. T

Associated Press

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Americans barely spent more last month at retail businesses and restaurants after higher taxes cut their paychecks. The small increase suggests consumer spending may be weak in the January-March quarter, which could hold back economic growth. Retail sales ticked up 0.1 percent in January from December, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That follows a 0.5 percent increase in December and is the smallest in three months.