Consumers could be putting the brakes on their shopping sprees in 2012, according to estimates by the National Retail Federation. Retail sales in the U.S. will grow 3.4% to $2.53 trillion in 2012, slower than the pace in 2011 when sales rose 4.7%. The NRF blames the declining growth rate on “stubbornly high unemployment” and continued uncertainty over job prospects during the year. Still, retail gains should outpace many other sectors, according to NRF, which noted that many ...