Same Store Retail Sales Accelerate

Same store sales were up 3.8 percent year-on-year in the March 3 week, accelerating by 0.5 percentage points from the prior week to match the strongest growth pace of the year. Month-to-date sales versus the prior month remained in negative territory but at minus 0.5 percent came in a tick stronger than in the prior week, while the full month year-on-year gain grew to 3.4 percent, matching the best week since the start of the year. Redbook's same store sample shows returning strength after some softness in early February and points to moderate acceleration in ex-auto ex-gas retail sales.