NEW YORK – U.S. chain store sales rose in the latest week for a second week in a row with a boost from intermittent spring-like weather, according to a report Tuesday.
Sales were 1.5 percent higher in the week ended Feb. 25 after rising by 0.2 percent in the prior week, according to the report produced by the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities LLC.
The ICSC also said sales rose 3.6 percent last week versus the same year-earlier week. In the previous week sales were up 3.7 percent versus the same week a year ago.
"February was a volatile month for sales, swaying between blasts of winter weather and short tastes of spring," Michael P. Niemira, ICSC's chief economist, said in a prepared statement.
"Overall the month started on a good note — given this, ICSC expects industry same-store sales to rise by approximately 3.0 percent in February on a year-over-year basis."
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