Top U.S. retailers ranging from Gap Inc. to Nordstrom Inc. posted disappointing July sales on Thursday as a heat wave curbed demand for fall back-to-school fashions.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was among the few retailers whose sales beat expectations, while teen-oriented stores posted hit-or-miss results, with those showing the right fashions, like paint-washed jeans, reporting huge July sales gains.
