Budgets/Spending/Market Size

New York -- A report released Monday by A.T. Kearney showed that Brazil once again first among developing countries for global retail expansion.

A.T. Kearney’s Global Consumer Institute’s 2012 Global Retail Development Index ranks the top 30 developing countries for global retail expansion.

Atlanta -- A report released Monday by First Data Corp. found that same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EPT cards and checks at U.S. retail locations rose 7% year-over-year. April’s growth was 5.7%.

The First Data SpendTrend analysis for the full month of May 2012 showed that, although consumers continued to spend at a healthy clip early in the month, activity did slow as the month progressed. Transaction growth in May held fairly steady at 5.9%.

MOORESVILLE, N.C — Through its charitable and educational foundation, Lowe's has awarded more than $2.3 million in Spring 2012 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grants to 543 schools in 47 states throughout the nation. The grants were given to schools and parent organizations for parent-initiated school-improvement projects benefiting K-12 public education.

The projects funded during the spring grant period include technology and safety improvements, library renovations, walking trails, greenhouses, outdoor learning environments and more.

Houston -- The Men’s Wearhouse reported Wednesday that net income for the first quarter dipped 2% to $26.9 million, dragged down by negative same-store sales at its K&G off-price unit. Its results missed expectations.

Revenue rose 1% to $586.6 million, missing Wall Street’s forecasted $593.7 million in revenue.

Spending on Father’s Day is projected to total $12.7 billion this year, and Walmart should get a decent portion of that total given its strength in top gift giving categories.

The Nation Retail Federation forecast this week that average spending per person for Father’s Day would increase 10% to $117 per person from $106 last year, further narrowing the gap with Mother’s Day when spending per person averaged $152.

Total U.S. shopper traffic in retail stores and malls for May 2012

Retailers saw an uptick in foot traffic last month, a welcome change of pace after a slow April. May retail foot traffic increased 1.6% over the previous month. Two holidays in May, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, drove the increase, but they weren’t enough to outpace the same period last year.

News reports this week speculated Denver might be getting a new CityTarget store. Get used to seeing similar speculation in other major markets as the company seeks to tap a new growth frontier.

Washington, D.C. -- The average person will spend $117.14 on dad’s gifts this year, up 10% from $106.49 last year, closing the gap between its biggest competitor: Mother’s Day (consumers planned to spend an average of $152 on the holiday), according to the National Retail Federation’s 2012 Father’s Day spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight. Total spending for Father’s Day is expected to reach $12.7 billion.