Same Store Retail Sales Accelerate

Same store sales were up 4.7 percent year-on-year in the June 16 week, accelerating by 0.4 percentage points from the prior week to post the second strongest growth pace of the year. Month-to-date sales versus the prior month were unchanged while the full month year-on-year gain rose by 0.2 percentage points to 4.5 percent, the strongest reading since the May 12 week high for the year. Four consecutive weeks of 4 percent plus year-on-year sales gains reported by Redbook's same store sample point to strong ex-auto ex-gas retail sales.