Chain Store Sales

What Does Chain Store Sales Mean?
An indicator that provides information on the monthly sales volumes from chain stores. Chain store sales, released on the first Thursday of the month, correspond to about 10% of retail sales, and are thought to be a good indicator of trends in consumer spending and retail sales.

Chain store sales are reported as a percentage change from the same month one year earlier.

Investopedia explains Chain Store Sales
Because consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of gross domestic product, knowing the trends in consumer sales can help an investor get a feel for the direction of the overall economy.

Chain store sales, along with many other consumer spending indicators, can help investors predict movements in the stock and bond markets. Strong economic growth, signaled by strong consumer spending, is good news for the stock markets as corporate profits increase. In the bond markets, too much growth (inflation) could hurt prices.

Related Terms

Comps
Economic Calendar
Economic Cycle
Economic Growth
Economic Growth Rate
Economic Indicator
Gross Domestic Product - GDP
Retail Price Index - RPI
Retail Sales
Same Store Sales
More Related Terms

Related Links

Using Consumer Spending As A Market Indicator - What people buy and where they shop can provide valuable information about the economy.
Consumer Confidence: A Killer Statistic - It's the key to any market economy, so investors need to learn the measures and how to analyze them.
Analyzing Retail Stocks - Hit the mall and shop for future investments.
Economic Indicators To Know - The economy has a large impact on the market. Learn how to interpret the most important reports.
Economic Indicators For The Do-It-Yourself Investor - These tools put the market (and any evaluations) in your hands.
Understanding The Consumer Confidence Index - We look at this closely watched economic indicator to see what it means and how it's calculated.
Coupon Shopping: Clip Your Way To Savings - Use coupons strategically to score big savings on everyday purchases.
Why The Consumer Price Index Is Controversial - Find out why economists are torn about how to calculate inflation.
When Time And Data Won't Stand Still - What to know about stationary and non-stationary processes before you try to model or forecast.

Rate this Term: Your Rating: Overall Rating: Vote Now!