June retail sales top forecasts - Los Angeles Times

Each category of retail sale, including discounters, stores and sellers of clothes, posted June sales gains that exceeded the estimates. Above, shoppers stroll Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. (Arkasha Stevenson, of the Los Angeles Times / July 8, 2011)Retailers beat gloom June last month, surprisingly strong results sales with lower prices of gas, generalized refreshing and warm, leading many buyers to hit summer clothing stores.

With the important season of back to school then on the calendar of the retail, consumer gave merchants the type of the month, they had been hoping a good but not great first half of the year. Combined with the better than expected Thursday labour market data, retail sales report led to a stock market rally and helped raise optimism one day before use U.S. figures were released.

"It was a month very robust." "This is the kind of momentum that retailers to build and deferred back to the school," said Ken Perkins, President of research firm retail Metrics Inc. combined with any other economic trends improve, "" he suggests we will removing a soft patch and it will be a second half stronger economic growth.""

Department store chain has posted an increase of 6.5% year sales, better than the 4.9% than analysts expected, according to the count of the Thomson Reuters of 25 retailers. Each category of retail sale, including discounters, stores and sellers of clothes, displayed the gains that exceeded the estimates.

With retailers offering their deeper cuts of the year so far, many buyers said that they spent more freely in recent weeks.

Leah Herndon, a mother in the home of Pacific Palisades, then buy a bit of a last month shopping, clothing training, shoes, jeans and tops for herself and for her two daughters summer clothing.

"There are just for the sales of many right now that I have had the advantage," Herndon said at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica Wednesday. "My children and I all stuff desperately need." "I think that we all had our fair share."

Lily Stofman, a student a recent graduate of the USC, pre-medical devalues purchase itself also in June, a new fall wardrobe.

"In recent years, I wasn't shopping for everything, but recently I picked up," said 25 - year - old West Hollywood. "I see gas was $3.83 and I was very excited." It just feels better. »

Performance June reflect a harmonious blend of stores. Club warehouse Costco Wholesale Corp., said sales rose 14%, clothing company Brands Limited posted a 12% gain and retailer teen zumiez Inc., said sales increased by 9.8%.

Luxury retailers are once again a month of standout, with sales up to 12.5% at Neiman Marcus Inc., 11.9% to Saks Inc. and Nordstrom Inc. 7.9%.

"Luxury is strong and will not receive more strong,", said Sherif Mityas, a management consulting firm A.T. Kearney partner. "You really see a large return of luxury buyer and the next lower level, which is the aspiration shopper."

Among the shares of retail Thursday, Corp. Kohl climbed $ 3.69 to $55.78, target Corp. jumped $3.23 at $51.67, Nordstrom acquired 2.08-$ 50.56 and Brands Limited has increased from $1.05 to $40.36.

Monthly results are based on sales in stores open at least a year, known as same-store sales and considered a good barometer of the health of a retailer because it excludes openings and closures.

Analysts noted that they were still waiting to sales at retail to stabilize and strong spending come from all economic levels.

Brian Sozzi Wall Street strategies "trends in retail sales monthly coaster became the standard in this cycle of economic recovery," written in a note to investors. "The recovery of expenditure is far from being uniform."

He said that ""in a feast and famine environment,"retailers will report number sales solid in the weeks prior to specific holidays or when the discounts are deep, which leads to volatility."

Economists say that a decrease in the unemployment of the nation is necessary in order to fuel consumer spending, which represents more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity.

On Thursday, the Ministry of labour reported that the number of Americans who made the first time claims for unemployment benefits dropped last week, the lowest level in seven weeks to 418,000. The June unemployment figures will be published Friday.

Retailers are the future of the season to return to school, which begins this month and which is usually the second pilot sale of the year (after the holiday of the year), 16% of annual sales in the industry.

The International Council of Shopping Centers Thursday is expected to increase from the year of 3% to the total of sales for the period of back to school for three months.

It is a modest estimate, and analysts said retailers will have to be done for them.

"Inventories of clearance of goods related to the summer were widely sold through," said Perkins of retail Metrics. "The key question emerges as to what extent the vast majority of consumers in the average to low-income area will be prepared to pay the full price in July".

But retailers may need to offer contracts at the expense of the benefits to attract buyers focus on discounts.

The Third Street Promenade, William Cole, a Culver City television Editor, had "splurged" on a book, but said that it was not shopping for anything else.

"I am very selective on what to buy," he said. "I pick up stuff each time in a while, but I'm looking for sales and I did not easily buy that I used to."

Andrea.Chang@LAtimes.com

Deals seen helping the chain of June store sales

A sign of sale is to see in a bookstore of borders in San Diego, California, on February 16, 2011.

Credit: Reuters, Mike BlakeBy Phil Wahba

NEW YORK | Tue July 5, 2011 3: 00 pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - retailers are expected to gain sales healthy report for June, as deals introduced into the system nervous shoppers, leaving some wondering if too much discount can crimp profits in the second quarter.

Consumers are still under much pressure from rising food prices and gasoline and the persistent economic uncertainty.

Some chains of top 25 varies from a target Corp. and Kohl Corp. and J.C. Penney Co, Ross Stores Inc. June sales report Wednesday and Thursday.

On average, analysts expect them to display a 4.9% increase of sales of June in stores open at least a year, according to Thomson Reuters, with chains of discount at the forefront. That compares to a gain of 3.1 per cent in June 2010.

"June has been a decent month with many discount." Consumers expect discounts; Nobody wants to pay full price, Craig Johnson, President of customer growth partners, told Reuters.

Retailers such as children Place Retail Stores Inc. and Gap Inc. used increasingly steep discounts to attract consumers. Gap, for example, offered buyers online 25 percent off the coast in June and two days after the expiry of the offer sought to encourage with a 35% discount.

Investors will be either to keep an eye on how deep discounts may have affected the margins and if they will continue in July, the last month of the fiscal quarter of retailers.

Johnson and many Wall Street analysts cautioned against reading too much in the results of June, because this month is when retailers generally lower prices in the spring and was items to make room for the return to school and in the fall of commodity.

The update is expected to continue in July, sinking of gross margins, capital markets analyst Janney Adrienne Tennant said in a note to clients.

"Promotions were high on the whole," said analyst of Nomura Equity Research Paul Lejuez.

In may, same-store sales rose 4.9%, below the 5.4% increase than Wall Street expected.

MOST LARGE GAINS AT DISCOUNT CHAINS

American consumers have grown more pessimistic in June on the Economic Outlook. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of consumer final June consumer index fell to 71.5 71.8 in preliminary June reading, below the forecasts of economists.

Discount chains, especially those that sell gasoline at low prices, should clock in the June estimates of sales gains, according to Wall Street.

Costco Wholesale Corp. should report an increase of 12.5% or an increase of 9.7%, excluding gasoline, gain sales, Wholesale Club Inc. of BJ, who last week said that he sold two companies of redemption, should publish a 7 per cent.

Several analysts said that high gas prices and the shopper anxiety were slow trips to the Mall for shopping.

Even more rich and middle class buyers hit stores with enthusiasm and high range as strings should show the greatest gains among stores Saks Inc. and Nordstrom Inc..

Wall Street expected Gap, trying to revive its namesake brand, to report a decrease in the level of 2.1% of the sales company store. That would be one of only two strings followed by Thomson Reuters to have lower same store June sales. The other is retailer Hot Topic youth.

Despite the uncertainty, Johnson customer growth expected the best season of return to school since 2006, helped by pent-up demand for clothing, provided that the price of gas to cooperate.

"The fear factor is $4," Johnson said, referring to the price of gasoline. A gallon of gas average costs of $3.56, according to the American Automobile Association, well above year - ago $ 2.72 but still lower than the prices of recent months.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba, additional reporting by Jessica Wohl in Chicago, mounting by Matthew Lewis)

Retail auto sales slow down end June: J.D. Power (Reuters)

DETROIT (Reuters) - New-vehicle retail sales U.S. market cooled dans the third week of June of the stronger pace in the first two weeks, an industry consulting firm, said Thursday.

June rates adjusted annual sales, retail sales should to come below 9.8 million vehicles sold, but still almost 500,000 vehicles better that can, according to J.D. Power and Associates, including more than 8 900 U.S. car dealers track the transaction real-time sales data.

The forecast for June would be an improvement in the annual rate of may of 9.32 million vehicles, but behind the rest of the year, when the results ranged from 10: 15 million in January to 11 h 15 million in February.

Rate sale of total light vehicles, which also includes the sales of the fleets, should be less than 12 million vehicles for the second straight month, says J.D. Power. Automakers are expected to report sales to the United States June Friday.

"Sales in June usually pressure to be between two strong holiday sale - Memorial Day and day of independence - but incentive levels below the average of the first quarter of $500 and depleted inventory of vehicles were added to the pressure that progressed the month," Jeff Schuster, Executive Director of forecasting overall in J.D. Power, said in a statement.

"However, the fundamentals remain in place for a return to recovery set pace in the first four months of the year,"he added.""

Less cars on dealer lots and higher prices - factors that led to a disappointing automatically sales U.S. in may - look to hold June results in failure, analysts and economists said.

The United States auto sales are expected birth only 2 percent in may, but better health 8 percent on the basis of the year, a month after tighter inventory caused by the earthquake of the Japan and a surge in the price of the vehicle gave more than consumers expected to maintain distance on buying cars and increased fears of a slowdown in the economy American.

The average forecast of 41 economists surveyed by Reuters was an annual rate of sales in June to 12 million vehicles, up from 11.1 million last year and 11.8 million in May.

(Statement by Ben Klayman at Detroit, mounting by Matthew Lewis)

US auto sales until June, but still wrong (PA) of the Japan

By DEE-ANN DURBIN and TOM KRISHER, AP Auto writers Dee-ann Durbin and Tom Krisher, Ap Auto writers - Fri Jul 1, 5: 12 pm et

DETROIT - gasoline prices hit a sweet spot for automakers last month. They fall far enough to boost sales of the truck, but remained so high that cars sold well, sometimes in a few hours only after reaching dealer lots.

As June a good month for General Motors and Ford, which have traditionally relied on sales of truck and now have queues of high expectation of the smaller models and energy-efficient as well.

Toyota and Honda could not take advantage, however. Their sales decline more than 20% as they are short cars due to the current problems by the earthquake of March to the Japan.

These cuts - and the continuing weakness of the US economy - meant sales grew more slowly in June they might have. The United States sales increased by 7% to 1.05 million. Analysts expected a gain to two digits.

Sales are not supposed to choose back until fall, when the Japanese production is at full capacity.

"Some consumers have decided to sit on their hands and their purchases, to delay," said Don Johnson, vice President of GM sales in the United States.

General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., said that their turnover increased by 10%. And the small car Chevrolet Cruze arched past perennial bestsellers such as the Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic to become the car more sold in America. The Chrysler Group sales increased by 30% thanks to popular like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and 200 new products Chrysler sedan.

Price of gasoline on average $3.68 per gallon in June, less than in may but not really cheap. It was enough to change the behaviour of some buyers.

"There are some of the consumers who respond to gas prices almost daily, and they decide what to buy on these prices, said Jesse Toprak, vice President trends of the industry and ideas for car of TrueCar.com site pricing.

The decline in prices of gasoline has attracted buyers more pickup truck. Chrysler has reported an increase of 35 per cent of Ram truck sales, while sales of Chevrolet Silverado has increased by 5%. No pickup sales jump help Detroit automakers, who sell more than five times more numerous pickups as based marks abroad. But even Nissan Motor Co. received. Sales of his small truck Frontier increased 51 percent.

Ford said pickup same buyers had their eyes on the price of gasoline. More than half of the F - 150 buyers chose small V - 8 s V-6 engines. It was as the first engines more small greatest winning time since the 1980s.

Also, small cars remained hot sellers. Sales of the Cruze has more than doubled those of the car, it replaced the Chevrolet Cobalt, while sales of subcompact Ford Fiesta 438 percent since last June.

But the automakers could sell more cars without the disruption of supply to the Japan. Sales of the Toyota Prius hybrid fell 61 percent to 4,340, their lowest level for seven years, according to the TrueCar.com, while sales of Honda Civic fell 35%. Automakers sold U.S. as small cars that they could do, but they could not meet the demand for small cars only.

The industry began June with a supply of 30 days of compact cars and the subcompact, and inventory received only more tight, top U.S. sales analyst George Pipas Ford said. Chevrolet has only 18 days worth of the subcompact Aveo to sell. Some small news cars Ford Focus sold within hours of his arrival at dealers. An offer of 60 days is more typical.

Toyota said it expects to deliver some 36 000 hybrid Prius to U.S. dealers this summer and finally top sales last year. Don Esmond, Senior Vice-President of Toyota for the automotive operations, said that the company expects production to the Japan to be back to normal levels later this month, while the North American production will be 100 per cent in September.

But the concerns of the weakness of the economy are suspended over the industry. Unemployment rate remains high, incomes are flat and confidence of consumers - an important measure which not to sell cars - slipped to a minimum of seven months in June.

Some analysts are lowering their expectations for the year. Don Johnson, vice President of GM of sales to the United States, said he hopes now that the total industry sales to be at the low a range of 13 to 13.5 million vehicles. J.D. Power and Associates has lowered its forecasts slightly to 12.9 million of sales throughout the year.

"Things are not quite as healthy in the current environment as planned earlier this year,", said the Executive Director of Jeff Schuster, J.D. Power forecast global.

The rate of auto sales has slowed considerably since before the earthquake in the Japan. Automakers have started to 2011 on the runway to sell cars and trucks of over $ 13 million this year. But if sales remain at the pace seen in June, the annual sales would be instead of $ 11.5 million. Also recently in 2005 annual sales are approaching $ 17 million.

Yet, there is reason to believe that the demand is there. Ford said the average age of a car on the road has increased to a record in 11 years, and many of these cars will need to be replaced soon.

After Honda and Toyota are back in the game, they must also offer many bids to win back customers who have been competing shopping such as Hyundai and Nissan, said Jack Nerad, Kelley Blue Book Editor. This will allow buyers to get back into showrooms.

Other manufacturers automotive reporting Friday:

• Volkswagen AG reported its sales rose 35 percent on the strong demand for its sedan sized Jetta and other models.

• Nissan Motor Co., said sales rose 11.4 percent on strong demand for smaller vehicles. Sentra car compact sales increased by 31%.

• Sales of Hyundai Motor Co. increased by 15.6%, led by the Elantra compact car. The Korean manufacturer has sold 59,209 vehicles in June, 51,205.

• Kia Motors Corp. has reported its best month of June ever with sales up 41% to 45,044. The hottest seller was the new Optima of 7,099 medium-sized sedan. It is almost six times more Optimas that have been sold to a year earlier.

___

Auto writer Bree Fowler in New York contributed to this report.

US auto sales to June - San Mateo Daily Journal

DETROIT - Gasoline prices hit a sweet spot for automakers last month. They fall far enough to boost sales of the truck, but remained so high that cars sold well, sometimes in a few hours only after reaching dealer lots.

As June a good month for General Motors and Ford, which have traditionally relied on sales of truck and now have queues of high expectation of the smaller models and energy-efficient as well.

Toyota and Honda could not take advantage, however. Their sales decline more than 20% as they are short cars due to the current problems by the earthquake of March to the Japan.

These cuts - and the continuing weakness of the US economy - meant sales grew more slowly in June they might have. The United States sales increased by 7% to 1.05 million. Analysts expected a gain to two digits.

Sales are not supposed to choose back until fall, when the Japanese production is at full capacity.

"Some consumers have decided to sit on their hands and their purchases, to delay," said Don Johnson, vice President of GM sales in the United States.

General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., said that their turnover increased by 10%. And the small car Chevrolet Cruze arched past perennial bestsellers such as the Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic to become the car more sold in America. The Chrysler Group sales increased by 30% thanks to popular like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and 200 new products Chrysler sedan.

Price of gasoline on average $3.68 per gallon in June, less than in may but not really cheap. It was enough to change the behaviour of some buyers.

"There are some of the consumers who respond to gas prices almost daily, and they decide what to buy on these prices, said Jesse Toprak, vice President trends of the industry and ideas for car of TrueCar.com site pricing.

The decline in prices of gasoline has attracted buyers more pickup truck. Chrysler has reported an increase of 35 per cent of Ram truck sales, while sales of Chevrolet Silverado has increased by 5%. No pickup sales jump help Detroit automakers, who sell more than five times more numerous pickups as based marks abroad. But even Nissan Motor Co. received. Sales of his small truck Frontier increased 51 percent.

Ford said pickup same buyers had their eyes on the price of gasoline. More than half of the F - 150 buyers chose small V - 8 s V-6 engines. It was as the first engines more small greatest winning time since the 1980s.

Also, small cars remained hot sellers. Sales of the Cruze has more than doubled those of the car, it replaced the Chevrolet Cobalt, while sales of subcompact Ford Fiesta 438 percent since last June.

But the automakers could sell more cars without the disruption of supply to the Japan. Sales of the Toyota Prius hybrid fell 61 percent to 4,340, their lowest level for seven years, according to the TrueCar.com, while sales of Honda Civic fell 35%. Automakers sold U.S. as small cars that they could do, but they could not meet the demand for small cars only.

The industry began June with a supply of 30 days of compact cars and the subcompact, and inventory received only more tight, top U.S. sales analyst George Pipas Ford said. Chevrolet has only 18 days worth of the subcompact Aveo to sell. Some small news cars Ford Focus sold within hours of his arrival at dealers. An offer of 60 days is more typical.

Toyota said it expects to deliver some 36 000 hybrid Prius to U.S. dealers this summer and finally top sales last year. Don Esmond, Senior Vice-President of Toyota for the automotive operations, said that the company expects production to the Japan to be back to normal levels later this month, while the North American production will be 100 per cent in September.

But the concerns of the weakness of the economy are suspended over the industry. Unemployment rate remains high, incomes are flat and confidence of consumers - an important measure which not to sell cars - slipped to a minimum of seven months in June.

Some analysts are lowering their expectations for the year. Don Johnson, vice President of GM of sales to the United States, said he hopes now that the total industry sales to be at the low a range of 13 to 13.5 million vehicles. J.D. Power and Associates has lowered its forecasts slightly to 12.9 million of sales throughout the year.

"Things are not quite as healthy in the current environment as planned earlier this year,", said the Executive Director of Jeff Schuster, J.D. Power forecast global.

The rate of auto sales has slowed considerably since before the earthquake in the Japan. Automakers have started to 2011 on the runway to sell cars and trucks of over $ 13 million this year. But if sales remain at the pace seen in June, the annual sales would be instead of $ 11.5 million. Also recently in 2005 annual sales are approaching $ 17 million.

Yet, there is reason to believe that the demand is there. Ford said the average age of a car on the road has increased to a record in 11 years, and many of these cars will need to be replaced soon.

After Honda and Toyota are back in the game, they must also offer many bids to win back customers who have been competing shopping such as Hyundai and Nissan, said Jack Nerad, Kelley Blue Book Editor. This will allow buyers to get back into showrooms.

Other manufacturers automotive reporting Friday:

-Volkswagen AG said its sales to the United States increased by 35% on the strong demand for its medium Jetta sedan and other models.

-Nissan Motor Co., said sales rose 11.4 percent on strong demand for smaller vehicles. Sentra car compact sales increased by 31%.

-Sales Hyundai Motor Co. increased by 15.6%, led by the Elantra compact car. The Korean manufacturer has sold 59,209 vehicles in June, 51,205.

-Kia Motors Corp. has reported its best month of June ever with sales up 41% to 45,044. The hottest seller was the new Optima of 7,099 medium-sized sedan. It is almost six times more Optimas that have been sold to a year earlier.

———

Auto writer Bree Fowler in New York contributed to this report.

Tiffany raises outlook on holiday 11 as a percentage of sales win (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - the Tiffany & Co (TIF).(N) sales in the holiday season has increased in all regions of the world where it operates stores of jewelry, which prompted the retailer to elevate its benefit of year-round forecasts.

November and December, turnover worldwide to Tiffany rose 11% to 888.5 million.

Sales increased more sharply in Asia, to the exclusion of Japan, soaring by 23 percent to $ 138.9 million. North and South America, they were up by 9% to 484.8 million, including a 3% increase in the flagship store of Tiffany on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Sales continued to rise in Europe, won by 13 percent.

Even pink sales to Japan, where the results have languished in recent quarters, jump to 3 percent after the factorization of changes in currency exchange rates.

Citing results solid holiday, Tiffany raised its profit forecast for the fiscal year ending January 31, a net profit of continuing operations of $2.83 and $2.88 per share, up to its previous view $ 2.72 and $ 2.77 per share.

Tiffany said that it is on track to achieve sales of 3.1 billion for the current fiscal year.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba, editing by Maureen Bavdek)

China December automatically sales up but growth slows (AP)

BEIJING - auto sales pink China by two digits in December as buyers rushed to take advantage of the expiration of the tax breaks but growth weakened after a wave focused on stimulation at beginning of the year, two industry groups reported Monday.

Global carmakers are turning to China, the largest market by number of vehicles sold, to help drive revenue in the middle of the low demand in the U.S. and other major markets.

Total passenger car sales rose 17.9% in December, more than a year earlier to 1.7 million units, China Automotive Manufacturers Association reported. He said fiscal year sales rose 33.2% to 13.7 million vehicles.

"Customers want to catch tax reduction policy and the last possible opportunity to obtain licences from the car in many cities of the North," said Zhang Xin in Guotai & Jun Automotive Analyst ' year Securities in Beijing. "I believe that growth will be barely last in 2011, unless y new out stimulus policy."

Sales of passenger cars, a category that includes no large buses, pink 26.7% in December from a year earlier to little less than 1.5 million units, said a separate group, the Association of China passenger car. He said, sales increased by 30.5% to 13.3 million vehicles.

Sale of cars have skyrocketed in early 2010 after Beijing Cup sales taxes and grants buyers to smaller vehicles and energy efficient.

China passed the United States in 2009 as the largest market by number of vehicles that the global financial crisis battered sales Americans.

General Motors Co. said sales of 2009 China GM-brand vehicles by the company and its local partners rose 29 percent to 2.35 million units. China passed the United States as the GM at the beginning of last year's market.

Toyota Motor Corp., said sales by the company and its local partners increased by 19% year last 846,000 vehicles. Ford Motor Co. said sales in China jumped last 40 per cent to 582,467 units, aided by a 52% increase in December.

The explosive growth of Chinese car owner has helped propel a domestic automotive and steel demand rising, but left Beijing, Shanghai and other cities jammed with traffic and choking smog.

Some cities are considering plans to address traffic problems by raising the costs of registration plate or impose other borders, according to industry analysts.

___

Online:

China Association of automobile manufacturers: http://www.caam.org.cn

Blog by Director of the China passenger car Association: http://raodaauto.blog.sohu.com

___

Researcher AP Ji Chen in Shanghai has contributed to this report.

German industrial output, retail sales decline (AFP)

Frankfurt (AFP)-l' Germany recover the suspended economy to breath in November when industrial production and retail delined sales, but remained on track for growth more this year, officials and analysts said Friday.

German trade surplus contracted as imports reached a record level, but the largest economy in Europe and exporter of number two in the world was still some reservations, the Ministry of economy, said.

"Given a strong level of orders, the trend (higher industrial production) should continue in the coming months", and the results for the fourth quarter of 2010 should be positive, a statement said.

Thursday, official data showed industrial orders were five times higher than expected in November due to sustained global demand for German goods such as chemicals, machine tools and vehicles.

Apparently fixed that an expansion of the business framework document 2010 was nevertheless composed in November, with industrial production down by 0.7% on month and retail sales losing 1.9%.

Analysts interviewed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected a decline of 0.2 per cent and an increase of 0.8%, respectively.

German retail sales number is very volatile and analyst Frank Engels to Barclays Capital said those newer 'must be taken with a grain of salt.

Wage developments and reports from retailers, consumer confidence readings "suggests that private real consumption growth should have accelerated in the second half of 2010, including Christmas surprisingly robust despite the winter weather, sales", he added.

Imports jumped at the same time from 33.3% in November of the same month a year earlier, partly due to the rising prices of oil and other products to? 75.1 billion (97.5 billion), the national Board of the reported statistics.

It was the highest "since external trade statistics were marketed for the Federal Republic of Germany in 1950,"Office Destatis added.""

It refers to the old Germany in the West, who was found with the former Germany of the East in October 1990.

Destatis said German exports amounted to? 88 billion, its highest level since October 2008, just after the collapse of the Lehman Brothers U.S. Investment Bank.

Chief Economist Berenberg Bank Holger Schmieding reiterated his view that "economic revival of the Germany is driven by domestic demand much more than by exports," and added: "today data confirm once more."

National trade surplus fell to? 12.9 billion from? 16 billion in November 2009.

"Despite the solid and healthy foundations, German industry is likely to fall into a kind of hibernation of snow in the coming months," ING Economist Carsten Stories, commented.

"However, similar to last year, the strong winter be only postpone, not stop industrial recovery."

Samsung sees record 2010 sales, operating profit

Participants look over new 4 G LTE phone from Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show, Thursday, 6 January 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Participants look over new 4 G LTE phone from Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show, Thursday, 6 January 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Participants look over new 4 G LTE phone from Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show, Thursday, 6 January 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) A visitor walking by billboards smartphone from Samsung Electronics Co in a showroom at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co. in Seoul, South Korea Friday, January 7, 2011. Samsung Electronics forecast Friday that sales and profits of exploitation past records in 2010 despite the slow pace at the end of the year in the middle of the fall in prices for televisions and semiconductors. (Photo AP/Ahn Young-joon) Businessmen South Korea to test Galaxy tab of Samsung Electronics Co at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co. in Seoul, South Korea Friday, January 7, 2011. Samsung Electronics forecast Friday that sales and profits of exploitation past records in 2010 despite the slow pace at the end of the year in the middle of the fall in prices for televisions and semiconductors.(Photo AP/Ahn Young-joon) A South Korean man watches her mobile phone Smartphone to a billboard Samsung Electronics Co at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co. in Seoul, South Korea Friday, January 7, 2011. Samsung Electronics forecast Friday that sales and profits of exploitation past records in 2010 despite the slow pace at the end of the year in the middle of the fall in prices for televisions and semiconductors.