Chain Store Sales Up 2.6% Last Week

New York, NY, May 15, 2007–Chain store sales rose 2.6 percent last week from the year-ago period, on Mother’s Day purchases, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities.  

On a week-over-week basis, sales rose 0.8

 “Over the last week, sales were helped by good seasonal weather and healthy Mother’s Day shopping, which lifted the industry’s performance,” said Michael Niemira, chief economist for ICSC. “However, with gasoline prices at the pump hitting a record high this week, slower sales during the second half of the month may be a risk facing the industry.”