US DATA: Redbook sales for Jul 2 wk: “June ended on a positive
note. Retailers said business improved in the final week of June,
starting soft but picking up briskly leading up to and beginning the
long independence day holiday weekend. Hot weather and sales promotions
spurred demand for summer merchandise and also drove consumers into
air-conditioned malls and outlets to escape the heat. For July, our
preliminary target is for year-over-year same-store sales growth of 3.7%
–
Year-over-year: Week (w/e 07/02/11 vs year-ago) 5.2%
Year-over-year: Month (June 2011 vs June 2010) 3.8%
Month-over-month: (June 2011 vs May 2011) 0.9%