A key measure of retail sales confirms that the last Saturday before Christmas was a disappointment as a snowstorm that slammed the Northeast stymied sales during a crucial shopping week.

That means that stores are counting even more on a final spending surge in the final days before Christmas.

The International Council of Shopping Centers-Goldman Sachs index is reporting that for the week ended Saturday, sales rose just 0.4 percent from the same period last year.

The last Saturday before Christmas is usually either the biggest or second-biggest shopping day of the year.