81.   Specialty apparel retailers reported some of the weakest July sales.

82.   Specialty retailers due to report fourth-quarter earnings include Jones Apparel Group Inc., the maker of Jones New York clothing, and Limited Inc.

83.   Specialty retailers have also revived some funds.

84.   Specialty apparel retailers are expected to report mixed first-quarter earnings, with the largest increases coming at chains that sell better-quality fashions at moderate prices.

85.   Specialty apparel retailers were hard hit, as consumers continue to turn to discount and department stores for clothing.

86.   Specialty clothing retailers have been particularly vulnerable, as consumers have shifted much of their spending toward discounters and outlet retailers.

87.   Specialty retailers like Lechters, which rely on brand names like Rubbermaid to pull in customers, decimated their own margins to keep Rubbermaid prices down.

88.   Specialty retailers showed a similar split.

89.   Specialty retailers tend to have rapid rises and equally abrupt falls.

90.   Still, analysts do expect some retailers including many department store chains to do well this holiday season because they are stealing sales from specialty retailers.