New York, NY, October 11, 2005--Chain store retail sales rose for the third consecutive week, with stronger sales in the Northeast and the Midwest, a retail report said on Tuesday.
Sales rose 0.2 percent in the week ended Oct. 8, compared with a 0.6 percent rise the previous week, the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS said in a joint report.
Compared with the same week a year ago, sales grew by 2.7 percent after a 3.0 percent rise the preceding week.
"Over the last week, the regional sales performance was uneven with relatively stronger demand in the Northeast and the Midwest," said Michael P. Niemira, ICSC's chief economist and director of research.
"With the fall season's first snow storm in the Upper Plains and a major cold front sweeping across the United States, this should certainly get consumers thinking about fall and even winter apparel as the month unfolds," Niemira added.
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.
