Retail sales drop slightly during week

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Retail sales in the United States declined slightly in the week ending Oct. 11, the International Council of Shopping Centers-USB reported Tuesday.

Sales were down 0.7 percent on the week and up a modest 1 percent from the same week a year ago, the report said.

The year-over-year gain was the weakest annual rise for a week since early May, the report said.

Customer traffic was strongest in the week at grocery and drug stores. However, "traffic was noticeably lower" in the nation's electronics and office supply stores and "modestly lower" at discount stores, department stores and wholesale clubs.

The report said traffic at dollar stores, book sellers and jewelry stores was "stable."

ICSC noted cooler temperatures set in last week, the national average 1 degree Fahrenheit lower than the same week a year ago.