'False hope' seen in April store sales gains

Analysts, citing numerous headwinds, aren't buying that last month's gains indicate a rebound in consumer spending.

Although many retailers reported improved April sales, following a disastrous March, analysts cautioned Thursday that it's premature to declare a resurgence in consumer spending.

"It's false hope to think that these numbers show that a rebound is about to take place in consumer spending," said Ken Perkins, president of sales tracking firm Retail Metrics, adding that there are still too many "headwinds" constraining consumers' discretionary budgets.

Specifically, Perkins pointed to four months of job losses, record-high gas prices, higher food prices, tighter credit availability and declining home values as the primary culprits.

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