Highlights
Redbook, in sharp contrast to ICSC-Goldman released earlier this morning, reports sharp weakness in store sales during the March 8 week. Redbook's same-store year-on-year sales rate slipped to plus 2.5 percent, down 4 tenths in the week for the lowest reading since May last year. But Redbook sees improvement ahead when temperatures warm up and raise demand for seasonal goods. In a major negative for March, however, Redbook notes that this year's Easter, which is three weeks later than last year, will push sales into April at March's expense.