Dive Summary:
- U.S. consumers have displayed dexterity despite rises in taxes and analysts predict an aggregate year-over-year gain of 1.8% for March retail sales versus a 2.9% increase in March of 2012.
- Analysts currently expect sales to be higher than initial estimates due to the well-known woes of retailer J.C. Penney initiating market-share gains for other major retailers.
- For final figures analysts will have to wait for the retail-sales report expected to be released Friday, April 12, 2013.
From the article:
Economists, on average, estimate sales slipped 0.1% from a month earlier, adjusting for seasonal swings, after gaining 1% in February. Excluding the often-volatile auto sector, they think the picture barely improved, with March sales flat.
