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Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports reached unusually high levels and are expected to surge again before another round of tariffs takes effect in December, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by NRF and Hackett Associates.

The National Retail Federation issued a statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay welcoming the announcement that China and the U.S. will hold high-level trade talks in October while urging the Administration to end the trade war and reach an agreement.

The National Retail Federation announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Carleen Kohut. After nearly 20 years of service to NRF, Kohut will retire on October 15. As part of the organization’s succession plan, NRF’s Controller Zahilys Hernandez-Perez will be promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Technology Jason Hoolsema will be promoted to Chief Information Officer.

NRF announced the first round of headline speakers for its 109th annual convention held in New York City in January. These leaders in retail, technology and business will deliver their forward-thinking ideas to 38,000 retailers from nearly 100 countries.

Tariffs are taxes on American businesses and consumers.

Retail sales were up 0.9 percent in July from June and up 5.6 percent year-over-year, according to NRF. The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.

NRF Senior Vice President David French welcomed the Trump administration's delay of some new tariffs on consumer products until December 15 but said others still taking effect September 1 "will result in higher costs for American families and slow the U.S. economy."

Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to continue at near-record levels this month and the remainder of the year despite a new round of tariffs on goods from China, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from NRF and Hackett Associates.

NRF Senior Vice President David French says a 10 percent tariff on $300 billion worth of goods imported from China announced by the Trump administration “will only threaten U.S. jobs and raise costs for American families on everyday goods.”

NRF urged Congress to take action after its annual August recess to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which would modernize trade between the three countries and replace the landmark North American Free Trade Agreement.