California Business Minute™

The California Redevelopment Association, CRA provides legislative
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Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced the advance estimates of U.S. retail and
food services sales for February, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday
and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $355.5 billion,
an increase of 0.3 percent from the previous month and 3.9 percent above
February 2009.

The increase surprised many economists and analysts who had predicted a l much
lower if not a decrease in sales due to the three snow storms that hit the east
coast during the month of February.

The increase was lead by gains in the electronics stores, and sales at general
merchandise stores, department stores and clothing retailers were also high as
apparently consumers spent despite the snowstorms.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute