Sales growth was mixed last month, with specialty apparel chains mostly faring better than general merchandisers.

Yesterday's figures cover general merchandisers and specialty apparel companies, but not supermarkets or car dealers.

But general merchandisers and apparel stores cut employment by 400 jobs each.

The general merchandisers have a large proportion of their business devoted to "big ticket" durable items, ranging from refrigerators to sofas.

Among nondurables, the biggest drop was a fall of nine-tenths of 1 percent at department stores and other general merchandisers.

The results reported yesterday were from general merchandisers and specialty apparel companies and not from retailers in general.

The results reported yesterday were for department and apparel stores and general merchandisers.

Christmas sales provide general merchandisers with about half their annual profits.

French hypermarches have never had to compete with established chains of conventional supermarkets and general merchandisers.

Mr. Evans noted that the Government's figures for sales by general merchandisers in November were revised sharply downward from earlier projections.