Indexed employment in food and beverage stores and general merchandise stores, 1999-2005 Index (January 2000 = 100) Date Food and beverage General merchandise stores stores 1999 Jan 97.4 99.2 Feb 97.3 99.5 Mar 97.7 99.6 Apr 97.9 99.7 May 97.8 99.7 Jun 98.0 99.7 Jul 98.1 99.7 Aug 98.1 99.9 Sep 98.0 99.7 Oct 98.3 99.9 Nov 97.9 100.0 Dec 99.3 100.0 2000 Jan 100.0 100.0 Feb 99.5 100.2 Mar 99.5 100.1 Apr 100.9 100.4 May 99.5 100.2 Jun 99.5 100.2 Jul 99.8 100.3 Aug 100.5 100.0 Sep 100.7 99.9 Oct 100.9 99.6 Nov 101.4 99.4 Dec 101.9 99.5 2001 Jan 101.0 99.4 Feb 101.1 99.6 Mar 101.2 99.2 Apr 101.0 98.8 May 101.5 98.4 Jun 101.5 98.4 Jul 101.2 98.3 Aug 101.1 98.2 Sep 101.2 98.2 Oct 101.1 98.2 Nov 100.9 98.2 Dec 100.4 97.8 2002 Jan 99.2 97.6 Feb 100.2 96.9 Mar 100.7 96.8 Apr 101.4 96.5 May 100.7 96.0 Jun 100.6 96.1 Jul 100.4 96.0 Aug 99.1 96.0 Sep 99.1 95.9 Oct 99.0 96.0 Nov 99.7 95.8 Dec 100.2 95.6 2003 Jan 100.2 95.4 Feb 100.4 95.2 Mar 100.1 95.3 Apr 100.0 95.2 May 100.0 95.2 Jun 99.8 95.0 Jul 100.3 94.8 Aug 100.9 94.7 Sep 101.2 94.5 Oct 101.3 94.8 Nov 101.1 94.0 Dec 100.9 93.8 2004 Jan 101.1 94.2 Feb 101.1 94.4 Mar 101.2 94.5 Apr 101.3 94.6 May 101.4 94.7 Jun 101.6 94.6 Jul 101.3 94.5 Aug 101.1 94.4 Sep 100.8 94.4 Oct 100.9 94.5 Nov 101.6 94.3 Dec 101.5 94.2 2005 Jan 101.5 94.4 Feb 101.9 94.4 Mar 101.9 94.4 Apr 102.0 94.5