Market Insights

Ahead of automation and artificial intelligence, excellent face-to-face interaction is still important.

Retail sales increased in the month of August but came in at a much slower pace than anticipated by the National Retail Federation (NRF).

BOSS brand helps boost full year and fourth quarter stats

The latest tally from the U.S. Census shows hardware stores saw a sales decline in June compared with the previous month, but a sales increase from the previous year.

The Census Bureau's Monthly Retail Trade Report shows the unadjusted sales for NAICS code 44413 dealers -- or hardware stores -- in July was $1.756 billion on an unadjusted basis. That's a decline of 8.4% from $1.197 billion reported in June.

However, unadjusted 44413 sales in July were up 5.3% compared with the same month last year.

NKBA estimates double-digit growth for a thriving sector of residential construction.

‘Tis the season to get aggressive in going after the Christmas customer

Top-line retail same-store sales held steady with a 5.7% gain in May, but showed the effects of plans by shoppers to curb spending, according to Kantar Retail.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing-home sales declined in July compared with June, but have improved compared with a year ago.

Total existing-home sales, which are based on transaction closings of single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell from a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.84 million in June to 4.67 million in July, a decrease of 3.5%. However, existing-home sales for July 2011 were 21.0% above the 3.86 million-unit pace in July 2010.