By Tess Stynes 
 

National chain-store sales edged up 0.2% in July from the comparable period in June, according to Redbook Research's latest indicator, released Tuesday.

The index's increase was in line with the target.

The Johnson Redbook Sales Index also showed seasonally adjusted sales for the period improved 1.3% from a year earlier, also in line with the target.

During the fourth week of July, sales rose 1.7% year-to-year.

Redbook noted that closing out the month and the second quarter, sales were firmer toward the weekend, especially in apparel, which stores had attributed to the beginning of back-to-school demand.

Write to Tess Stynes at tess.stynes@wsj.com