US DATA: Consumers took a pre-holiday break from shopping this past
week to prepare for Thanksgiving and get prepared for Black Friday
shopping with about a third of consumers saying they will be out
shopping that day, ICSC-Goldman says. As a result weekly retail slipped
(-0.6%) once again, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain
Store Sales Index. In addition retail sales lost some of its momentum
and slowed (2.8%) on a year-over-year basis. Said Michael Niemira, ICSC
director of research and chief economist. “Despite last week’s results,
ICSC still anticipates a relatively robust month for sales with bargain
hunters helping to propel the overall month results.”