Today's Flooring News

Keep up to date with the most recent news in the flooring industry. Today's News...As it happens! We update this news several times a day so you can stay connected.

Canadian Retail Sales Off 1.3%

Ottawa, Ontario, July 22—-Retail sales in Canada were off 1.3 percent in May, according to Statistics Canada. The drop was the result, to a great extent, of weak automobile sales.

Sherwin-Williams 2Q Earnings Up 21%

Cleveland, OH, July 22--Sherwin-Williams posted a 21% increase in second-quarter earnings, reflecting same-store sales, acquisitions, and improvements in the auto-finishing business.

RoomStore Bids for 50 Rhodes Stores

Richmond, VA, July 21--RoomStore, which emerged from bankruptcy court protection last month, bid this week to buy 50 of the 65 stores operated by Atlanta-based Rhodes for $38.8 million.

Initial Jobless Claims See Biggest Drop Since 2002

Washington, DC, July 21--First-time filings for state unemployment benefits dropped by 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 303,000 last week, the lowest level in three months and largest decline since December 2002, according to a Labor Department report.

Surfaces 2006 Reports 90% of Space Contracted

Dallas, TX, July 21--Surfaces has set another record as more companies participated in the 2006 Space Draw than ever before. Almost 90% of the show floor is already contracted by an estimated 640 companies.

Leading Index Up Sharply in June

New York, NY, July 21--The Conference Board said that based on the benchmarked figures announced today, its leading indicators index increased sharply in June following no change in May.