Retail sales and consumer confidence are two aspects that typically go hand-in-hand. Merchants always welcome the news that Americans are more positive about the economy and their own financial conditions, as this often translates into increased sales as shoppers hit retail stores and websites.

July's retail sales are expected to rise, as a recent report from Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan revealed that U.S. consumers are feeling better about the nation's economy. Bloomberg explained that the Consumer Sentiment Index conducted monthly by the two organizations reached 85.1 in July, up from the previous month's figure of 84.1. The latest index is the highest in six years, and the source noted that analysts expect consumer sentiment to continue to improve well throughout the rest of this year.

Preliminary retail sales figures are already showing positive growth for retail sales in July. Dow Jones Business news reported that according to data from Redbook Research, sales at national chain stores rose 0.9 percent during the first two weeks of the month from June. When compared to the same time last year, the figure stands at a 3.1 percent gain.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, August 1st, 2013 at 3:38 am .