Cool, wet weather slows shopping

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- U.S. retail receipts slid in the week ending Saturday with weather less than perfect for clothing sales and other seasonal businesses, a trade group said.

The International Council of Shopping Centers said sales dropped 0.7 percent week-to-week, but rose 2.9 percent compared with the same week of 2011.

Traffic rebounded during the week at dollar stores and wholesale clubs, the group's weekly retail report said. However, traffic slowed at discount stores.

In addition, the week was cool and wet in the Northeast and Northwest, both considered major shopping corridors.

Those two regions saw "the coldest second retail week of June in more than 21 years," Weather Trends International said. It was also the second wettest second week of June in that time frame in the Northwest.

Weather in the Southeast also derailed shopping with temperatures cooler than in the past 12 years and wetter than any out of the past seven for this week of the year, the report said.