Same-Store Retail Sales Not Showing Much Holiday Life

Store sales in Redbook's sample haven't been showing much life so far this holiday, up only 1.8 percent on a same-store year-on-year basis in the December 19 week. But there's still one key week to go in the holiday season with warm weather likely to prove a major factor, helping traffic but not helping demand for seasonal goods which the report says are being marked down.