New York, NY, April 25, 2006--Chain store sales in the week ended April 22, fell 0.2 percent, after rising 1.1 percent the previous week, according to the report produced by the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities LLC.
The ICSC said sales grew 4.1 percent last week versus the same week in 2005. In the previous week sales rose 4.0 percent versus the same week a year earlier.
The wet weather slightly curbed consumers' desire to shop but sales remain robust despite strong energy prices, said Michael P. Niemira, ICSC's chief economist and director of research.
"Despite all the worries on the energy front, sales trends continue to be impressive and remain strong," he said, adding "as we enter into the final sales week of April, we continue to expect monthly chain store sales to rise by 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent, on a year-over-year basis."
