Global| Nov 29 2005Chain Store Sales Backpedaled, Gas Prices Down Again
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey indicated that during Thanksgiving week, chain store sales slipped 0.7% following the prior period's 1.0% jump. The latest left the average level of sales in November [...]
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey indicated that during Thanksgiving week, chain store sales slipped 0.7% following the prior period's 1.0% jump. The latest left the average level of sales in November 1.2% above October which rose 0.1% from September.
During the last ten years there has been a 51% correlation between the y/y change in chain store sales and the change in non-auto retail sales less gasoline, as published by the US Census Department. Chain store sales correspond directly with roughly 14% of non-auto retail sales less gasoline. The leading indicator of chain store sales from ICSC slipped 0.3% (-2.0% y/y) during the latest week following two consecutive weeks of increases. The ICSC-UBS retail chain-store sales index is constructed using the same-store sales (stores open for one year) reported by 78 stores of seven retailers: Dayton Hudson, Federated, Kmart, May, J.C. Penney, Sears and Wal-Mart.The latest decline in store sales occurred despite a further drop in gasoline prices. The retail average price of gasoline in the U.S. fell a nickel last week to $2.15 (+10.7% y/y).
| ICSC-UBS (SA, 1977=100) | 11/26/05 | 11/19/05 | Y/Y | 2004 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Weekly Chain Store Sales | 454.8 | 458.0 | 5.1% | 4.6% | 2.9% |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
More Economy in Brief
