AFTER ROBUST 3RD QUARTER, AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE; BREADTH OF OFFERING SEEN AS MAJOR ASSET FOR VALUE CHANNEL IF FUNDAMENTALS WEAKEN.(Statistical Data Included)

Daily News Record, December, 1999 by Kletter, Melanie

NEW YORK -- Retailers will be hard-pressed in 2000 to live up to what has been an outstanding year for retailing in 1999.

While the larger economic picture still looks mostly favorable, sales heading into the new millennium will likely be somewhat slower than they were for most of 1999, Wall Street analysts said.

"We see a picture of moderating growth heading into 2000," said John Morris, analyst at Gerard Klauer Mattison. "Retailers are also going to be paddling upstream against potential rising freight and shipping costs. In terms of the larger picture, it is no longer a rising tide lifting all boats."

"The economy continues to grow, but the rate of gain will probably slow somewhat," said Jeffrey Edelman at PaineWebber.

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