Retailers' June sales hint at tough second half

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2009

Retailers' June sales hint at tough second half

The hot, dry summer didn't come early enough for U.S. retailers.

RETAILERS' WEATHER EXCUSES JUST A SNOW JOB

Here is a severe-weather alert for U.S. retailers: Seasons change.
They do it every year. The weather is different in different parts of
the country. Every year and every season. If you don't have a business
model that can account for that by now, maybe your business is more
than just under the weather -- maybe it's in the ICU.

RETAIL STOCKS RISE AFTER JUNE SALES RESULTS

While many of the figures were not as bad as expected, retailers faced
a tough slog as consumer sentiment remained chilly.

U.S. STOCK MARKET AWAITS SIGNS OF REVENUE GROWTH

The lack of revenue growth from the aluminum giant and the other 29
companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average is seen as a
major factor contributing to Wall Street's lackluster sentiment.

OIL FALLS FOR SEVENTH SESSION ON DEMAND CONCERNS

Crude-oil falls, heading toward a seventh consecutive losing session
and the longest losing streak in nearly three years, as worries over
oil demand
continued weighing on prices.