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August 17 – August 24, 2006 Edition

Bookstore Sales

See Slight Gain

For June 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C./8/14/06—Preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that bookstores experienced a 4.2% increase in sales for June 2006 to $1.18 billion.

It was the second consecutive month in which book sales increased and the largest gain since January.

Sales for the first six months of 2006 grew by a scant 0.8% to $7.48 billion, while overall retail sales grew by 5.7% in June and by 7.6% for the first six months of the year.