New York, October 13--U.S. chain store retail sales rose in the latest week as a holiday weekend gave Americans more time to shop, a report said Tuesday.
Sales climbed 0.5 percent in the week ended Oct. 9, compared with a 0.3 percent gain the previous week, the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS said in a joint report.
"Sales were generally on-to-above plan as Columbus Day sales helped drive consumer traffic this past week," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist and director of research.
Cooler weather boosted demand for seasonal clothing, he added. Compared with the same week a year ago, sales grew 3.7 percent after a 2.6 percent increase the week before.
The ICSC-UBS Weekly Chain Store Sales Snapshot is compiled from a group of major discount, department and chain stores across the country that report their weekly results.
