First Data has released its First Data SpendTrend analysis for the full month of January 2013 compared to January 2012.

Dollar volume growth improved to 6.2% versus 4.0% in December as consumer spending bounced back despite the payroll tax increase. Improved retail spending was a large contributor to this growth. Retailers experienced a healthy rebound in spending as consumers increased discretionary spending during the start of the year. Retail dollar volume growth was the highest growth seen since August 2012.

SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations.

Cardlytics has announced that their service will be expanded to allow consumers to opt-in to receiving offers and rewards via Facebook.

“Extending our reward program to Facebook is a really exciting development,” said Jason Brooks, U.K. managing director of Cardlytics. “This functionality will increase engagement between banks and their customers. Now banks have an option to interact with their customers in new media like Facebook, without compromising any principles on security and data protection.”

The new capability will allow partner banks to deploy a Facebook App that integrates with the Cardlytics reward platform. The App will let consumers privately see their offers and rewards while using Facebook.

American Express announced a new social commerce experience that turns Twitter #hashtags into online purchases from Amazon, Sony, Urban Zen and Xbox 360.

"Based on the initial success of Amex Sync for offers, we know there is significant power in combining our assets with Twitter's platform to bring value to Cardmembers and merchants," said Leslie Berland, Senior Vice President, Digital Partnerships and Development at American Express. "Now, we're leveraging our unique technology and closed-loop network to introduce a seamless solution that redefines what's possible in the world of social commerce."

See sync.americanexpress.com/twitter for more details.

On the web:

• China Growth Elusive For U.S. Credit-Card Firms - MarketWatch

On the wires:

• Traxpay Delivers 24/7 Real-Time B2B Payments Solutions for Businesses of Any Size
• sweetgreen Launches Mobile Payment and Rewards App, Powered by LevelUp
• Seamless SEQR Mobile Payment System a Success for Public Transport in Western Sweden
• The World’s Leading Musical Artists Come to Virtual Piggy
• Blue Bottle Coffee Adopts Square for Its Point of Sale