U.S. chain store sales increased 3.6% in April

April U.S. chain store sales rose by 3.6% on a year-over-year, same-store basis, according to ICSC's index. "Although the economic headwinds remain brisk, April year-over-year retail-chain store sales got a lift of 200-to-250 basis points due to the shifting Easter date, which resulted in an extra Sunday of sales in April 2008 versus April 2007," said Michael Niemira, ICSC's chief economist and director of research. "In addition, there was some modest pent-up demand with more seasonable weather early in the month, along with some increased promotional activity, which helped to explain the strongest monthly performance in more than a year," Niemira said.