Tag Archives: economy

January retail sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, were flat seasonally adjusted month-to-month due in part to severe winter weather in much of the country, according to the National Retail Federation. “Following a solid holiday sales season, it seems …

Post-Thanksgiving doldrums had Wall Street worried for the good first half of December. As the trading session ended Dec. 31, 2013, markets turned positive as uncertainty was tempered with action from the Federal Reserve. The Hardware Retailing Stock Index gained …

The National Retail Federation released its 2014 economic forecast, projecting retail industry sales—which include auto parts and accessories stores, non-store categories, discounters, department stores, grocery stores and specialty stores, and exclude automotive dealers, gas stations and restaurants—will increase 4.1 percent, …

The National Retail Federation reported that December retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month, and 4.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year. Total holiday retail sales, which include November and December sales, increased 3.8 percent …

The National Retail Federation issued the following statements from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay and Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz on the December jobs report: “The nation’s retailers continued to add to their payrolls in December even in the midst …

Remodelers are expecting to have a solid 2014, according to Qualified Remodeler magazine’s annual online market forecast survey. Of those who responded to the survey, 78 percent reported having either an excellent or good outlook on the year ahead, an …

Consumer confidence is making strides, recovering from pre-government shutdown levels, according to the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index®. The index, which had decreased in November, rebounded in December, now standing at 78.1, up from 72.0 the month prior. “Consumer confidence rebounded …

Most retailers know there are just some things beyond their control. For those heavily selling building materials and lumber, constant changes in commodities pricing are almost always at the top of that list of variables. Between slowed domestic new-home construction …