Retail Sales Are Weakest in 35 Years

The nation’s retailers turned in the worst sales figures in at least a generation starting the holiday shopping season with double digit declines across a broad spectrum of stores.

The International Council of Shopping Centers, an industry group, described November’s figures as the weakest in more than 35 years. Declines were recorded in every retail segment with the biggest coming from department stores, with sales down 13.3 percent.