RPT-U.S. retail trade group sees holiday sales growth slowing | Reuters

RPT-U.S. retail trade group sees holiday sales growth slowing
| Reuters

The forecast released on Tuesday by the National Retail Federation puts sales at $586.1 billion in November and December. The 4.1 percent growth forecast trails the 5.6 percent growth seen in 2011 and 5.5 percent growth in 2010.

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The NRF forecast is more optimistic than some others already released. Last month, research firm ShopperTrak forecast a 3.3 percent rise in sales for the holiday season, while the International Council of Shopping Centers forecast a 2.5 percent increase.
The NRF forecast includes most traditional retail categories including non-store, auto parts and accessories stores, discounters, department stores, grocery stores, and specialty stores, and exclude sales at automotive dealers, gas stations, and restaurants.
Separately, Shop.org, forecast a 12 percent increase in online holiday sales to a range of $92 billion to $96 billion for the November-December period. The estimate is the NRF's digital division's first forecast of online sales.