Retail up but Weak. ISM Non-Manufacturing down but Growing.

Store Sales (week ended 2/2/2013)

ICSC-Goldman Store Sales

– Week/Week  +2.4%.  Previous was -1.0%. – Year/Year +2.6%.

Redbook

– Store Sales Year/Year change +1.5%.  Previous was +1.6%.

While this data looks good for the week this is largely by comparison with the past few weeks of weak data.  Store Sales have been disappointing since just after Black Friday.  The more timely but less well-known Consumer Metrics site has store sales trending down for the past 7 days.  See: http://www.consumerindexes.com/

ISM Non-Manufacturing Index (January 2013)

– Index level was 55.2% down from previous 55.7%.

– Business Activity Index at 56.4%

– New Orders Index at 54.4%

– Employment Index at 57.5%

This marks 37 consecutive months of growth in the Non-manufacturing Index.