The economic recession hit many sectors throughout the country hard, but perhaps none more so than the retail industry. Merchants saw their sales drop, which had an impact on the nation's overall conditions. Fortunately, things are looking up for the sector, although there are several opinions on exactly how strong the industry currently is.

In an article for the San Antonio Business Journal, Tricia Lynn Silva writes that many of the most recent opinions from retail experts come from April's sales. There are several reports that measured last month's amount, with one being statistics from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) which state that retail sales rose 2.7 percent year-over-year. On the other hand, the National Retail Federation reports that sales increased 4.6 percent Between last month and April 2012. 

While both percentages are positive, the one from ICSC indicates that April was an "o.k. month," and the NRF findings are more positive strong, Silva writes. However, the overall opinions of retail industry experts are encouraging, the author explains, and many believe that the retail sector is poised for solid growth over the coming months.