Retail sales rise in week

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. retail receipts ended a four-week slide, with sales climbing 2.4 percent in the week ending Saturday, a trade group in Washington said.

The International Council of Shopping Centers-Goldman Sachs weekly sales report said sales were stronger than in the previous week at specialty stores, wholesale clubs, dollar stores and clothing stores.

Sales were up despite weather that was on average 2.9 degrees Fahrenheit colder than the same week of 2012.

Temperatures were still 4.1 degrees warmer, on average, than the historic norm for the same week.

Compared to sales in the same week a year earlier, receipts were up 2.6 percent in the current week.

"Meanwhile, gasoline prices popped up over the past week," the report said.

The national average price of gasoline rose 18.1 cents in the week to an average of $3.538 per gallon Monday.

Higher prices at the pump generally put the pinch on discretionary spending.