WASHINGTON (MktNews) - U.S. January retail sales were up a strong 0.7% and increased 0.8% excluding autos, much more than private economists expected in a very good start to the first quarter. It is not clear if the January sales gain reflects the expected response to price discounting or the start of a consumer-led rebound in the economy. December and November sales levels were revised down by a total of about $300 million, which some will argue shows that further returns in the retail sales survey were weak. The revisions also will lower the fourth quarter base and boost first quarter growth from that low level. January non-auto sales are 2.8% SAAR above the fourth quarter average, showing that consumption is growing at about the same pace as the +2.9% that the Commerce Department estimated for the fourth quarter. The only weakness in January sales was in food at -0.2%, where prices were lower. Otherwise, durables sales were up 0.8% and nondurables were up 0.7%. The biggest gains were in building materials, which jumped 1.1%, and furniture which was up 1.5%. Housing has been the strong point in the economy in recent months. Auto sales, which eked out a 0.4% gain in December, after falling for two months, rose 0.6% in January.