US DATA: wk 02-Jun ICSC-Goldman Store Sales: “After a five-week
slide, the ICSC-Goldman Sachs chain store sales index rose sequentially
by a modest 0.4% for the week ending June 2. On a year-over-year basis
sales were relatively steady with the prior weekfs momentum. The
ICSC-GS consumer tracking survey suggested that consumers switched
their shopping venues during this past week with more apparel-store
shopping than the same week of the prior year, flat department store
shopping and sharply lower discounter business. Weather, however, was
not a positive factor” but declining fuel costs were.