By Mark Pender
NEW YORK (MNI) – MNI’s U.S. retail trade index slipped 1.9 points
in the Oct. 29 period to 56.6, still comfortably above 50 to indicate
solid growth in year-on-year business conditions, according to the
results of Market News International’s weekly survey released Monday.
Sales data are mixed with total year-on-year sales slipping one
percentage point in the period to +4.0% while same-store sales are one
tenth higher at +3.0%.
When adjusted, MNI’s data are offering an early indication for a
+0.3% headline for the government’s October retail sales report.
Retailers in the sample are generally cautious and as a group have
been gradually trimming back holiday estimates toward the lower end of
ranges.
Income for the sample is soft at a year-on-year +4%, a rate that
points to discounting. Sample size in the period is 173 chains making up
171,300 separate retail locations.
Editor’s Note: MNI compiles its retail trade index based on a
weekly sample of company news and data.
** Market News International New York Newsroom: 212-669-6430 **
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