13th May 2009 - Sales by chain-stores in the USA have increased, in the week ending the 9th of May, reversing for the first time the decline which started in December, indicated the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC).

This increase of 0.5% in stores is the strongest recorded since the 29th of November 2008, added the Council. During the week before, sales were still sliding by 0.8% more than the yearly average.

Between the 3rd and 9th of May, sales picked up by 0.3%, following a progression of 0.7% in the preceding week. These increases came after 15 days of contraction in sales.

The ICSC estimates that weekly sales were helped by warmer weather than usual and by Mother’s Day on the 10th of May.

For the month of May in its entirety, the ICSC predicts that despite this recent lift sales should drop by 1%.

On Thursday 7 May, the ICSC announced that sales in chain-stores in the USA had rallied in April by 0.7% compared to a year previously.

AFP