Holiday season retail sales rose 3.8% this year over last, Mastercard says, as more people dined out and bought clothes and jewelry. Why it matters: The report suggests a resilient consumer, key to the continued health of the U.

Mastercard said consumers were "value-minded" and shopped at both brick-and-mortar stores and online platforms in search of attractive deals.

Holiday retail sales rose 3.8% year-over-year, topping earlier estimates with a boost from online shopping, according to Mastercard.