The International Council of Shopping Centers-UBS Retail Chain Store Sales Index fell by 0.7% in the week ended June 23 from its level in the week before, on a seasonally adjusted, comparable-store basis. This result followed a 0.1% decrease in the prior week. "Cooler-than-last-year temperatures decreased seasonal demand for air conditioners, patio furniture and apparel," said Mike Niemira, chief economist at ICSC who compiles the index. "The underlying year-over-year pace of demand continues to bounce around the 2% mark, though it has been softer than that over the last two weeks. We continue to expect monthly sales to increase by about 2% or slightly shy of that mark." On the year, chain store sales were up 1.7% in the week ended June 23 compared with a rise of 1.9% in the prior week.