IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
National retail sales remained strong last week, as stores moved beyond the back-to-school season and into the start of autumn.
Overall sales were up 4 percent year-over-year for the week that ended Saturday, and were up 0.7 percent compared with the previous week, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Index, which was released Tuesday.
“Business over the past week was healthy overall and strong for department, apparel, discount, electronics and furniture stores,” said Michael P. Niemira, research consultant for the council. “September tends to have the third-highest sales volume in sales during the year, capturing the last of the back-to-school shopping and [the start of] fall merchandise demand.”
Sales this month should be up four to five percent compared with September 2013, Niemira said.
