Initial data from the start of New York City's reopening duringthe COVID-19 pandemic shows positive signs for retailers and otherindustries hit hard by shutdowns, according to local data providerPlacer.ai.

Retail industry watchers are fervently tracking the market aftershutdowns aimed at preventing the spread of the virus closed thedoors of brick-and-mortar shops, cutting a central part of retailbusiness. But date from New York, dating to mid-June, is offeringhope for those seeking an economic rebound, according to a recentblog by Ethan Chernofsky, the vice president of marketing for theanalytics start-up.

Overall retail visits in New York were down 22 percent year overyear the week of June 15th, compared to visits up 5 percent yearover year for the week of March 9th. However, Placer.ai noted, theJune numbers "showed a marked improvement on previous weeks" andwas the strongest showing for retail markets since the March 9data.