Chain Store Sales Up 0.5% Last Week

New York, NY, May 1, 2007--Chain store sales increased 0.5% for the week ended April 28 verses the prior week, according to a survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities. Compared with the year-ago period sales were up 1.9%.

In the absence of any strong sales driver, chain store sales growth has and will continue to flip-flop around," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist. "Mother's Day will be the next focal point for retailers. For April, sales are expected to dip slightly, which largely reflects the impact of the Easter and weather-pattern shifts."