Canada's retail sales were flat in November as consumers purchased less from supermarkets, grocery stores, alcohol outlets and furniture shops but the numbers were buoyed by car sales, data showed on Thursday.

Sales at U.S. stores and restaurants rose at a solid clip in December as consumer spending remained resilient despite relatively elevated interest rates. Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4% last month from November to $729.

South African retail sales jumped in November as consumers benefited from last year's interest rate cuts, declining inflation and a pension reform that allowed fund members to make partial withdrawals before retirement.