Highlights
Chain store sales were definitely weak in October but not disastrous. Nevertheless, results point to a major risk that next week's retail sales data for October, especially when including vehicles, will show a third straight month of decline, the first such streak since the early 80s. High-end chains posted significantly weaker results in the month, solid evidence that consumer retrenching has deepened. Discounters reported mixed results. Some such as Wal-Mart and Target posted month-to-month declines, though others led by BJ's Wholesale Club posted respectable results. Chains selling household goods reported steepening declines as did chains centered in the West and in Florida. The month's weather was generally warm, a factor that kept traffic up but also hurt sales of cold-weather goods. Gas stations sales are likely to fall month-to-month given the decline in prices. But chains said profits from gas sales jumped in the month as the decline in pump prices lagged the decline on the wholesale level.

2008 Release Schedule

Released On: 1/10 2/7 3/6 4/10 5/8 6/5 7/10 8/7 9/4 10/8 11/6 12/4 Released For: Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov