Retail Port-cullis

As consumer sales slowed, retailers kept a sharp eye on inventory and slammed down the portcullis on buying. According to the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates' Global Port tracker report, traffic at ports nudged up only 0.3% in May 2011 after a 7% increase in April. The report predicts a sluggish summer, with 1% rise in traffic in June, 0.5% rise in July, and 3% rise in August. The fall looks better with forecasts of 12% rise in September and 19% in October.