News

NRF economist downplays April retail hires

May 6, 2013

Positive job numbers released for the month of April showed a surge in hiring in the retail sector. But as an article on wsj.com notes, the 29,000 new retail jobs open various interpretations about the industry.

The National Retail Federation's Chief Economist, Jack Kleinhenz, said that the April numbers reflect the way "retailers are constantly adjusting to the uncertainty of the speed and direction of the economy," but warned not to expect "many more months like April's showing for a while," the article reported.

"Retailers are continuing to find innovative ways to engage shoppers with the right mix of products, inventory and employment to meet their customers' demands," Kleinhenz said in the NRF statement responding to the jobs report. "With the significant decrease in jobless claims — at the lowest level since the recession — and an uptick in personal discretionary spending and consumer confidence, today's news is very promising. We are encouraged by the resilient economy and consumer."

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