Retail Sales Rise 3.5%; Chain Stores Gain 0.4%

Retail sales grew 3.5% in the week ended Jan. 1, and chain store sales increased 0.4%. Retail sales rose 4.6% the previous week, according to the Johnson Redbook index. Chain store sales were up 3.6% from the same period a year ago, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Snapshot.