U.S. Chain Stores Sales Rose in Latest Week

New York City, Sales at major retailers were up 3.3% on a comp-store sales basis for the week ended May 20, following a 3.4% rise the prior week, according to Redbook Research. U.S. chain-store sales rose with emphasis on household staples, but an increase in gasoline prices and interest rates could lower sales in the second quarter. Thus far, sales at U.S. retailers in May were down 2.8% when compared with the same period in April.