SmallBusinessNewz

Consumers aren't exactly emptying out their savings accounts, but spending trends might still be headed in a direction that'll benefit small businesses, according to the latest info from the National Retail Federation.  The NRF found that June retail sales were up 3.3 percent on a year-over-year basis.

Purveyors of electronics and appliances saw the biggest gains compared to 2009, with sales increasing by 7.6 percent.  Then came health and personal care stores with an increase of 2.2 percent and furniture and home furnishing stores with an increase of 2.1 percent.

Those figures seem pretty decent.  Maybe even good, except for one other fact: they still allowed for a drop in sales to occur on a month-over-month basis.

The NRF found that June retail sales were down 0.5 percent compared to May, which is a little disappointing.  NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz concluded in a statement, "Moderate growth these last few months proves that consumer uncertainty remains.  A slow-growing economy and high unemployment rates will continue to hinder consumers' decisions to spend on discretionary items."

Fortunately, we're headed into back-to-school session, when the term "discretionary" can take on new meanings.  (Sure, a kid may not need a new backpack, but few parents will want their kid to get laughed at for having something small or out of date.)

Keep your fingers crossed for unequivocally positive July numbers, then.