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Sales rose 1.2 percent during the week and 2.6 percent from a year ago. "That was the strongest weekly gain since June 7 and the largest year-over-year rise since Dec. 22, 2007", the report said.

Customer traffic rose at discount, dollar, office and electronics outlets, "but weakened for apparel", the report said.

Retail shopping gains "may have been driven by that early wave of back-to-school shopping", ICSC reported.

ICSC noted the national average price for gasoline has fallen 16 cents in the past three weeks and that the weather was both warmer and wetter than normal.

The week was the wettest in seven years with "exceptionally heavy rain" in the Northeast, Weather Trends reported.

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Retail sales fall slightly

Canada's retail trade flat in July

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Wal-Mart built on landfill closes

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