Dec 26 (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales rose 3.8% between

Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, as customers turned to last minute shopping

due to intense holiday season promotions, a Mastercard report

showed on Thursday.

The jump in sales was higher than a 3.2% rise forecast by

Mastercard in September and well above a 3.1% increase from a

year earlier, with the last five days of the season accounting

for 10% of all holiday spending.

Mastercard SpendingPulse measures in-store and online retail

sales across all forms of payment. It excludes automotive sales.