Year-End Madness

by David Hachmeister

December ended with stamps still sliding, although at a slower pace. They were down just 12 percent, the smallest decline since August. Sales actually rose from November, gaining more than 7 percent. Given that December is usually our slowest month, we think this is a good sign.

Other products absolutely soared, rising more than 20 percent for the third consecutive month. This is a little deceptive, as one company contributed about 75 percent to the gain.

Click each graph for a larger view.