Chain Store Sales Up From 2007

New York, NY, April 1, 2008--Chain store sales for the week ended March 29 rose 0.5 percent from the year-ago period, according to a survey released Tuesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities.

Sales fell 0.2 percent from the previous week.

"March has been a tough consumer environment for retailers and sales during the latest week echo that," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist.

"With the weakest year-over-year seasonally adjusted showing in eight years, the headwinds have picked-up."