Holiday buying, which picked up in the second week of the season after a sluggish start, faltered this week, leaving Christmas sales around the country barely ahead of last year, according to a sampling of retailers in seven cities.

• 据调查7个城市零售商的结果，假期购物，本季开始时疲弱，第二周时渐有起色，本周后继无力，以致全国圣诞季节销售额仅略胜去年。