U.S. retail sales up slightly in week

WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- Retail sales in the United States increased marginally on the week ending June 28, the International Council of Shopping Centers-USB reported Tuesday.

Shopping increased by 0.1 percent on the week but gained 2.2 percent from a year ago, the report said.

"Demand remains driven by basics and staples," the ICSC report said. "The consumer continues to be pressured by record high fuel prices and high worry about inflation."

The retail group noted that weather was "uneven" throughout the country during the week, but consumers faced gas prices 38.4 percent higher than the same week of 2007, the second highest year-to-year jump in 2008, the report said.