By Mark Pender
NEW YORK (MNI) – MNI’s U.S. retail trade index rose more than two
points in the March 19 period to 63.6, above 50 to indicate year-on-year
growth yet in trend to indicate no acceleration in growth, according to
the results of Market News International’s weekly survey released
Monday.
Chains have yet to report a decrease in March sales tied to the
calendar shift for Easter which this year falls late in April vs. early
in April last year.
Total sales for the sample slipped back slightly to a year-on-year
+4.4% while same-store sales rose slightly to +3.0%.
Levels that would indicate no adjusted February-to-March change for
the government’s ex-auto ex-gas category are only nine tenths away for
total sales, at +3.5%, and only a point-and-a-half away for same-store
sales at +1.5%.
A number of chains have issued two-month guidance for the
March-to-April period, a very difficult period to read month by month.
Those that have issued specific monthly guidance for March warn of
a dramatic decline followed by an upswing in April.
For March and April combined, chains are guarded citing the
negative effects of high gas prices.
Income for the sample is on the low side, unchanged at a
year-on-year +5%. Sample size in the period is 199 chains making up
179,800 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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