· Chain store sales last week rose 1.4% last week but the increase still left sales in December 0.7% below the November average, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS.

· During the last ten years there has been a 45% correlation between the y/y change in chain store sales and the change in nonauto retail sales less gasoline.

· The ICSC-UBS retail chain-store sales index is constructed using the same-store sales (stores open for one year) reported by 78 stores of seven retailers: Dayton Hudson, Federated, Kmart, May, J.C. Penney, Sears and Wal-Mart.

· The leading indicator of chain store sales from ICSC-UBS rose 0.4% and added to a 0.6% gain during the prior week. 

· Collecting Consumer Debt in America from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is available here.