Worried retailers got a reprieve in July, scoring solid sales gains as searing heat in much of the country sent consumers back into the stores in search of summer clothes, the Associated Press reports. But the outlook for the back-to-school season remained uncertain as higher gasoline prices and rising interest rates are still expected to challenge shoppers.
As retailers reported their sales results Thursday, stores that met or surpassed Wall Street expectations included Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Limited Brands Inc., Nordstrom Inc. and J.C. Penney Co. Inc. Winners among teen retailers included Bebe Stores Inc. and Wet Seal Inc., helped by such back-to-school fashion trends as skinny jeans and walking shorts that hit stores late last month.
