· The International Council of Shopping Centers reported that chain store sales fell 1.0% last week after the prior period's 0.2% dip.

· During all of April, sales rose 1.0% from March and they began May down 0.1%.

· 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.

· During the latest week, the leading indicator of chain store sales from ICSC-UBS rose 0.2% (-3.9% y/y) and it has been declining steadily for more than a year.

· The chain store sales figures are available in Haver's SURVEYW database.