National Retail Federation

Post holiday sales and gift cards helped consumers open up their wallets to take advantage of special deals on popular apparel, electronics and sporting goods items. According to the National Retail Federation, January retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) increased 0.5 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month and decreased 0.2 percent unadjusted year-over-year.

Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports will be a full 25 percent higher during the first half of 2010 compared with the same period a year ago, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

After more than two-and-a-half years of year-over-year declines, import cargo volume at the nations major retail container ports is expected to see three straight months of gains in early 2010, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight.

Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports could see its first year-over-year increases in more than two years beginning in early 2010, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight.

The National Retail Federation today released its 2009 holiday forecast, projecting holiday retail industry sales to decline one percent this year to $437.6 billion.* While this number falls significantly below the ten-year average of 3.39 percent holiday season growth, the decline is not expected to be as dramatic as last year’s 3.4 percent drop in holiday retail sales nor as severe as the 3.0 percent decline in annual retail industry sales expected for all of 2009.**

Even with discounts abounding on seasonal merchandise and apparel, shoppers continued to hold tightly to their wallets last month. Unseasonal weather through most of the country last month also impacted spending. According to the National Retail Federation, retail industry sales for June (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) decreased 3.8 percent unadjusted over last year and decreased 0.2 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month.

Without stimulus checks from Uncle Sam, consumers had less money in their pockets to spend last month. According to the National Retail Federation, retail industry sales for May (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) increased 0.2 percent seasonally adjusted from April but dropped 4.7 percent unadjusted over last year.

Bummer, dads: A new survey by the National Retail Federation shows that the kids (and others) will spend less on gifts for Father's Day this year than in the recent past. The 2009 Father’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, reveals that Americans will spend an average of $90.89 on Father's Day gifts, down from $94.54 last year.

News of the economy's turnaround — albeit slow — may have proven to be premature, as April's retail sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) decreased 0.4 percent from March and 1.7 percent from last April, according to the National Retail Federation. These numbers reflect the growing trend among consumers of cutting back discretionary spending.

Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports improved in March over February's seven-year low, but was still at its lowest level in five years and remained below the 1 million mark, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight.