What Is It and Should I Care? Kevin Depew Mar 13, 2008 12:50 pm |
![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||||||||
|
What is it? The Advance Monthy Retail Sales Report (hint: most media outlets chop off the "Advance Monthly" part so that it's easier to pretend these numbers are meaningful) attempts to measure sales at retail and food service companies.
Who reports it? The Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. Check out the actual report.
When is the report released? Nine working days after the close of the survey month, at 8:30 a.m. EST.
How does it work? Simple, the Census Bureau sends out a survey to about 5,000 retail and food service companies asking them to provide data on the dollar value of sales over a specific calendar month, four-week or five-week period. Not quite sure what your sales were over the last month? No worries, estimates are fine, seriously. See a sample form for yourself.
Who uses it? Well, believe it or not there are two organizations that actually use this data to help prepare other reports. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the data for their Gross Domestic Product (GD) estimates. The Burerau of Labor Statistics uses the data as an input into Producer Price Indices and in their productivity measurements.
Should I care?

Value to professional market participants: half Coin (out of possible five).
Impact on your 401(k): zero South Florida Villas (out of possible five).

discuss this article and more on the mv exchange |
|
Get real-time options trading ideas from Steve Smith, veteran options trader and newsletter author, plus let him show you the way to cut risk and boost your returns through the strategic use of options. Click here for a free 14 day trial to OptionSmith by Steve Smith.
The information on this website solely reflects the analysis of or opinion about the performance of securities and financial markets by the writers whose articles appear on the site. The views expressed by the writers are not necessarily the views of Minyanville Media, Inc. or members of its management. Nothing contained on the website is intended to constitute a recommendation or advice addressed to an individual investor or category of investors to purchase, sell or hold any security, or to take any action with respect to the prospective movement of the securities markets or to solicit the purchase or sale of any security. Any investment decisions must be made by the reader either individually or in consultation with his or her investment professional. Minyanville writers and staff may trade or hold positions in securities that are discussed in articles appearing on the website. Writers of articles are required to disclose whether they have a position in any stock or fund discussed in an article, but are not permitted to disclose the size or direction of the position. Nothing on this website is intended to solicit business of any kind for a writer's business or fund. Minyanville management and staff as well as contributing writers will not respond to emails or other communications requesting investment advice.
Copyright 2009 Minyanville Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| add rss feed | free article alerts |
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennesee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Local Guides

















