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Retail sales climb in holiday week
WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- U.S. chain store sales rose in the week ending July 3, as warm weather continued to spur sales of summer items, a national trade group said Wednesday.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said sales rose 1 percent from the previous week and 3.9 percent compared to the same week a year ago, the largest year-to-year weekly jump since early May.
June turned out to be hot and wet -- the hottest June in eight years and the wettest in six, Weather Trends International said.
In the latest week, heat "continued to drive exceptional demand for hot weather items and consumables," ICSC said.
Consumers also had a bit more to spend, as the average retail price of gasoline fell by 3 cents from the previous week to a July 5 average of $2.726 per gallon, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- U.S. chain store sales rose in the week ending July 3, as warm weather continued to spur sales of summer items, a national trade group said Wednesday.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said sales rose 1 percent from the previous week and 3.9 percent compared to the same week a year ago, the largest year-to-year weekly jump since early May.
June turned out to be hot and wet -- the hottest June in eight years and the wettest in six, Weather Trends International said.
In the latest week, heat "continued to drive exceptional demand for hot weather items and consumables," ICSC said.
Consumers also had a bit more to spend, as the average retail price of gasoline fell by 3 cents from the previous week to a July 5 average of $2.726 per gallon, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
