Chain Store Sales Up Over Last Year

New York, NY, March 2, 2010--Chain-store sales for the week ended Feb. 27 rose 0.7% from the year-earlier period, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

On a week-over-week basis, sales fell 0.8%.

"The month finished off slightly as a result of another storm in the Northeast which pared the consumers' ability to shop," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist.

"However, the impacts from nature and the light volume of February sales make it difficult to read too much into this month's performance." He forecast February sales will still be positive and may be up about 2%.