By Mark Pender
NEW YORK (MNI) – MNI’s U.S. retail trade index was little changed
in the Jan. 29 week at 63.2, indicating strong year-on-year growth but
no significant month-on-month change, according to the results of Market
News International’s weekly survey released Monday.
Total sales edged one tenth higher to a solid year-on-year +5.3%, a
rate that’s also the four-week average.
Same-store sales held steady for a second week at a soft +2.4%,
which is two tenths below the four-week average.
Despite this month’s heavy weather in the South and East,
indications on January are surprisingly solid as chains hold to
guidance.
Note that seasonal adjustments will play the biggest role of the
year in the January retail sales report. The government’s month-to-month
comparison will be giving a big boost to the low volume month of January
at the same time the comparison pulls down December, the highest volume
month of the year.
Income for the sample is soft and steady at an on-year +6%. The
period’s sample size is 182 chains representing 172,200 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 **
[TOPICS: MDURE$,MT$$$$,M$U$$$,M$UEQ$,MAUDS$]
