Just as spotting a lone swallow in June does not signify the onset of a nice summer, one week's worth of good news from the retail sector does not a recovery signal.
Still, last week's revelation that managed pub operator JD Wetherspoon's prospects were being upgraded somewhat and that Next, the clothing emporium, had turned in decent numbers, grabbed people's attention.
Shares in a number of listed pub companies rose, in some cases quite sharply, as markets digested this news and as bank stocks rallied.
It seemed like only yesterday that Punch Taverns looked set to become the biggest company to be reduced to penny stock status for a while. This fear is receding. While selling pubs to rivals isn't everyone's idea of good business, the pubco takes the view that better the cash today than holding onto sites with what it regards as finite potential.
Although there are those who still believe Punch is on shaky ground with regard to its debt levels, positive sentiment surrounding the group is growing.
Sentiment is a strange thing, in many instances building upon itself in a self-fulfiling stylee. I use the parallel of the route into and out of a humungous hangover.
Having enjoyed oneself 'royally' the pain then kicks in. And it's bloody awful. But one's recovery builds exponentially as the waves of nausea become more infrequent, the hammering in one's head gradually slowing to an acceptable level, then disappearing completely.
Evidence of a full recovery is when one can contemplate drinking alcohol again.
Similarly, if ever Punch Taverns dips back into the market for a substantial chunk of pubs, we shall surely know that things have improved - for some, at least.
For the time being though selling pubs, as has been the case in recent weeks, seems to be the order of the day…