Chain Store Sales Much Higher Than Year Ago

New York, NY, March 23, 2010--U.S. chain-store sales last week rose 3.7 percent compared with a year ago, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

Comparable store sales at the chains were flat from the previous week.
 
“Last week’s mild weather on both coasts gave consumers ‘spring fever’ and a reason to release some more of their pent-up demand which has been an underlying force over the last few weeks,” said Michael Niemira, ICSC director of research and chief economist.