Chain Store Sales Up 2% Over Last Year

New York, NY, Nov. 2, 2010 -- Chain-store sales for the week ended Oct. 30 rose 2% from a year ago, according to a survey released Tuesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

Compared to the week before, sales inched up 0.1%.

"Overall customer traffic improved relative to a year-ago as Halloween shopping for candy and costumes was a sales driver at drug stores, discounters, dollar stores, wholesale clubs and even traditional grocery stores business," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist.

"But warm seasonal weather, across a large portion of the nation, continued to pare down sales at apparel and department stores overall." He forecast October same-store sales to rise 2% to 2.5%.