Retailers Beginning To Brace for Slowdown

New York, NY, Aug. 22, 2011 -- Retailers are beginning to anticipate a weak second half of the year as they reported the slowest earnings growth since in the last recession.

According to a Bloomberg News report, second-quarter earnings per share for 43 retailers in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained an average of 11%, the smallest increase in two years.

Bloomberg reports that many Wal-Mart shoppers are trading down, while wealthier shoppers have been hit by recent stock market declines and could begin curtailing purchases.

In addition, consumer sentiment has been trending lower.