Chain Store Sales Edge Up From Previous Year

New York, NY, Feb. 2, 2010--Chain-store sales last week rose 0.4% from the year-earlier period, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

On a week-over-week basis, sales were up 0.1%. "The stronger early-month performance helped to lift the monthly sales performance in what is traditionally a very low volume month dominated by clearance activity," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist.

He forecast January sales to rise about 1%, also slower than the 3.6% gain in December.