Consumer sentiment as measured by a longstanding University of Michigan survey is at a 10 year low, and the costs of health care, housing, child care and food are rising. But Ohio’s retailers are still expecting a good holiday season this year.

Holiday sales in Ohio are expected to increase by 3.1% to $32 billion, which is similar to forecasts for national spending. That's up from the 2.5% retail sales growth during the holidays last year .

"We are expecting growth in holiday spending in six of the nine metropolitan areas in Ohio," said Brad Evans, co-executive director of the University of Cincinnati Economics Center, which did the forecast for the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants. "Akron and Mansfield are expected to experience a drop in holiday spending. And Toledo is forecasted to

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