Weather, sales help July sales beat expectations

The nation's retailers finally got a break in July as warm weatherand heavy discounting lifted sales above expectations, even forstruggling department stores.

The upbeat sales reports issued Thursday halted a sluggish trendseen since last summer and raised hopes that consumers will be in themood to spend for the critical back-to-school season.

Sales picked up for most retailing sectors. Business was strongenough at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. that the industry leader boosted itsprofit outlook for the second quarter.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Target Corp., J.C. Penney Co. Inc., andGap Inc. were among the retailers reporting sales that beat analystforecasts.

Even …