By Mark Pender

NEW YORK (MNI) – MNI’s U.S. retail trade indicator slowed by 1.9
points in the June 23 period to a 63.8 level that still indicates strong
growth in year-on-year business activity, according to the results of
MNI’s weekly survey released Monday.

Total sales growth is a year-on-year +4.5% with same-store sales at
+2.8%.

Month-to-month, MNI’s sample is pointing to a +0.2% print for the
government’s June retail sales report.

The sample so far in June shows strength at electronics & appliance
stores and at building materials stores. Food services show weakness.

Income growth, for a fourth week in a row, is at a four-month high
of +8% which points to healthy pricing for the sample.

Sample size in the period is 178 chains representing a total of
180,700 separate retail locations.

Editor’s Note: MNI compiles its retail trade index based on a
weekly sample of company news and data.

** MNI New York Bureau: 212-669-6430 **

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