Highlights
Chain store sales proved solid in May, pointing to another month of strength in the Commerce Department's non-auto non-gas category that has yet to show a month-to-month decrease this year. Chains posted year-on-year total sales rates of between +3 to +4 percent, about a point above trend and a little more than a point above this year's trend for the non-auto non-gas category.

The shift away from light trucks appears to have helped chain stores for a second straight month. Discounters did especially well in the month with rates of total sales growth in the 5 percent range. Wal-Mart posted total sales growth of 7.8 percent for its best showing since March last year. By itself, Wal-Mart makes up nearly 10 percent of the non-auto non-gas category.

Today's results should give a lift to retailer share prices and to expectations for next Thursday's retail report which outside of trucks may very well, based on these results, give a boost to the economic outlook.

2008 Release Schedule

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