Economists expect to see a modest gain of 0.5% when Statistics Canda reports

T uesday on how the country's retailers fared in September. Douglas Porter of BMO Nesbitt Burns: "Following a fast recovery from the recession, Canadian retail sales have cooled considerably in recent months. A combination of sagging confidence, slow wage growth, rising food and energy costs and a lack of pent-up demand have weighed on sales growth this year. The lure of cross-border shopping amid a still-strong loonie has also dampened domestic sales somewhat."