U.S. stocks closed mixed Thursday, with the broader market falling for a third day, amid renewed worries about the debt crisis in Europe.
U.S. stocks recovered from earlier losses late Tuesday to closed mixed amid an uncertain situation in Greece, where political leaders are scrambling to secure a second bailout and avoid a default.
Retail sales rose in January, but were dragged down by an unexpected decline in auto sales, according to government data released Tuesday.
updated: Thu Jan 19 2012 14:55:00
While sales drop in Europe's high streets, the luxury market is thriving. CNN's Juliet Mann investigates.
Retail sales may have fallen in Europe over the last year but the continent's top luxury brands are keeping the cash registers ringing.
Hoping to offset a disappointing holiday season, Target is relying on some tried and true designer partnerships to bring more of its core customers through the doors and testing the waters with cult favorite Apple, in an effort to attract new ones.
Consumers pulled back on their spending in December despite the holiday shopping season, according to a government report released Thursday.
It may not be over yet, but retailers are breathing a sigh of relief and celebrating a successful holiday season, thanks to a last-minute surge in sales.
The U.S. economy was weaker than previously thought in the third quarter, according to a government report, although economists are expecting stronger growth in the final three months of the year.
The holidays aren't even over yet and shoppers are racking up returns already.
Electronics retailer Best Buy reported a large drop in quarterly earnings Tuesday, as weak sales in the months leading up to Thanksgiving cast a shadow on the all-important holiday season.
Consumers slowed the pace of their shopping in November, but that might not bode ill for the entire holiday season.
Even though shoppers showed up in droves and spent a record amount of money over Black Friday weekend, it's still too early to tell whether that holiday sales momentum will continue through Christmas.
Americans seem to be feeling better about the economy going into the holiday season.
The holiday shopping season reportedly got off to a strong start this past weekend. But don't expect to find a thriving U.S. economy under the Christmas tree this year.
Earlier than ever store openings and steep discounts helped retailers notch record sales this Black Friday weekend, according to early reports.
Preliminary reports for Black Friday indicate that retailers may have seen their strongest sales ever during the all-important kick-off to the holiday shopping season.
Despite some backlash against early store openings on Thanksgiving Day, retailers could see a record number of shoppers as Black Friday 2011 got underway.
Wal-Mart's same-store sales crept up in recent months, reversing last year's losses and trumping expectations, prompting the world's largest retailer to provide a sunny forecast for the holidays.
Consumers kept hitting the stores in October, despite economic headwinds and uncertainty that many economists had feared would keep them from spending.
To help families who are struggling to buy gifts this upcoming holiday season, Toys "R" Us announced Tuesday it is extending its layaway program beyond big-ticket items to include most toys in its stores.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. suffered a ninth straight drop in its U.S. store sales last quarter, even as it reported earnings and sales in the period that were higher from a year earlier.
Americans boosted their shopping in July, allaying -- for now -- fears of a consumer slowdown that might stall the economy.
Retail sales rose in April for the ninth month in a row, helped by higher prices for gasoline and food, the government said Thursday.
Retailers booked another strong month of sales in April, thanks to a rush of Easter shopping.
Despite aggressive price-slashing, free shipping and other gimmicks, Wal-Mart lost shoppers during the critical Christmas shopping period, resulting in a same-store sales decline in its fourth quarter.
Retailers logged slight increases in store sales last month as consumers primarily focused on paying for grocery and gasoline purchases, the government reported Tuesday.
American consumers are finally opening their wallets again, according to an exclusive CNNMoney survey, raising hopes that the long-suffering economy could get a boost.
Retail sales in the 2010 holiday season showed the biggest percentage gain in six years, an industry group said Friday, while a separate government report showed a December sales increase on strength in e-commerce.
Holiday sales lost speed in December after a strong surge in the prior month, with many store chains reporting softer-than-expected monthly results Thursday.
As the curtain lifts on 2011, the nation's retailers are celebrating one of the most robust holiday sales periods that they've had in years.
Retailers may have lost $1 billion of crucial post-Christmas sales because of the blizzard that struck over the holiday weekend, according to a report Wednesday.
U.S. stocks ended the day mixed Tuesday as investors mulled a disappointing report on consumer confidence and ongoing weakness in the housing market.
The blizzard that walloped the U.S. East Coast over the holiday weekend struck retailers at a pivotal time, burying their crucial post-Christmas sales under a heavy blanket of snow.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season: Americans earned and spent more money in November than they did during the previous month. They also saved less.
Best Buy's stock plunged on Tuesday after the retailer reported sales and earnings for the quarter which includes Black Friday that missed Wall Street's estimates. The company also lowered its guidance.
Retail sales were solidly higher in November, the government reported Tuesday, fueled in part by deep discounting on holiday merchandise.
U.S. stocks were set to open almost flat Tuesday amid of a slew of economic data, and as investors continue to await resolution on a tax cut deal in Washington.
Gift cards seem to have lost their status as the perennial favorite of procrastinators this year as shoppers are showing a preference to give traditional gifts, and even cash.
U.S. stocks rallied 1% Thursday, building on the previous session's big gains, as investors cheered strong retail sales and welcomed the European Central Bank's plan to extend liquidity measures.
A full month of deals, capped off by extra-deep Black Friday discounts, gave a boost to retailers' store sales in November in a solid kickoff to the holiday season.
Preliminary reports of sales on Black Friday weekend are coming in.
Black Friday, the first major shopping day of the holiday retail period, has come and gone.
After two-years of belt tightening, consumers are feeling the urge to splurge on this year's hottest holiday deals. Retailers eager to lure shoppers in are slashing prices -- even before Black Friday.
Wal-Mart Stores posted third-quarter profit of $3.4 billion and raised its full-year guidance Tuesday, in a closely watched report that could shed some light on consumer spending.
After posting gains nearly all day, U.S. stocks tumbled at the session's close Monday, as investors remain jittery during a week with a full economic calendar.
Retail sales rose for a fourth straight month in October, the government reported Monday, signaling that consumers are keeping their wallets open as the holiday shopping period approaches.
U.S. stocks were set for slight gains Monday as investors digested two economic reports: one showed strength in retail sales, but optimism was muted by a dismal manufacturing report.
'Twas three months before Christmas and Becky Gaar was on the hunt for a Disney Princess Magic Rise Oven for her 6-year-old granddaughter.
updated: Tue Nov 09 2010 10:25:00
Don't be one of the millions still paying for Christmas next year. Christine Romans on how you should pay this holiday.
Retailers reported strong sales results for October on Thursday despite the still-struggling economy.
Wal-Mart's CEO told analysts Wednesday that although the world's largest retailer has been losing sales to its competitors this year, he expects sales to improve in the critical holiday shopping season.
Retail sales rose in September, the government reported Friday, fueling hopes that momentum will translate into a robust holiday shopping season for retailers.
The recovery is sputtering and the outlook for the rest of the year isn't looking much brighter, according to a new survey of leading economists.
Retailers on Thursday reported strong sales results for September, as shoppers loaded up on discounted items amid the still-struggling economy.
As the holidays approach, consumers are getting back in the buying mood, but only if the price is right.
Keeping your fingers crossed for a temp job during the holiday shopping rush?
The road to economic recovery is still rocky, but American consumers are slowly starting to spend again.
Retailers reported surprisingly strong August same-store sales as many consumers braved scorching summer temperatures to bag juicy discounts on school-related products.
After two months of declines, retail sales rebounded in July, the government said Friday.
Stocks ended a listless session modestly lower Thursday as investors focused on the job market amid signs of a sluggish economic recovery.
Wal-Mart reported record first-quarter sales and profits Tuesday that beat analyst expectations. Shares of the world's largest retailer rose more than 2% on the news.
Retail sales posted the eighth straight monthly gain in April, but increases were weak after March's data posted the biggest jump on record.
Retail sales soared in March, the government said Wednesday, in the latest sign of improving consumer confidence.
For those who expect a brutal jobs market and a nervous consumer to threaten the economic recovery this year, a rally in the retail sector is a surprising bright spot.
Stocks ended a volatile session higher Thursday as investors welcomed improved retail sales and a report showing that the pace of job losses is slowing, ahead of Friday's big government employment report.
Many of the nation's top retail chains reported much stronger-than-expected February sales Thursday, furthering hopes that U.S. consumers are starting to loosen their purse strings.
Wal-Mart Stores posted a quarterly profit Thursday that beat Wall Street's expectations, but the retailer's store sales dropped during the period that included the all-important year-end holiday sales.
Want more proof that the U.S. economy is still in a fragile state? Consider this. People are still holding back on buying burgers, soda and beer. So much for fast food, soft drinks and booze being recession-proof.
Retail sales fell in December, the government reported Thursday, putting a damper on hopes that the holiday shopping season would boost figures.
The nation's merchants scored a surprising increase in their crucial year-end holiday sales, countering expectations of a decline, according to an industry report issued Thursday.
A worse-than-expected December jobs report last week couldn't derail the economic optimism that's been fueling stock gains for months. But the weeks ahead could prove challenging, as the quarterly reporting period gets underway.
After a very long and painful wait for retailers, shoppers finally came through in the last month of the year to lift crucial holiday store sales.
An initial report on the holiday shopping season issued Monday showed a solid year-over-year gain, both in stores and online.
Stocks ended a choppy session higher Monday, with the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq managing fresh 2009 highs on some optimism about a recovery in retail sales and gains in select sectors.
Shoppers may have boosted retailers with slightly better sales this year. But only when compared to a disastrous 2008. And that's no guarantee that consumers' shop 'til you drop mentality is back.
Retailers placed a lot of hope on the Thanksgiving weekend gift buying this year, but merchants failed to get the big sales boost they were seeking.
Wall Streeters returning Monday after an almost five-day holiday weekend better be well rested: the week ahead brings an onslaught of reports on retailers, consumer spending and the jobs market.
They came by truck, by van and even by taxi.
For the past few years, holiday cheer has been in short supply for electronics retail chains.
The stock market is up. Consumer confidence is down. Unemployment is way up. Gas prices are down.
Retail sales in October rose more than analysts expected, the government reported Monday.
Investors will brace for a spate of economic reports this week with their fingers crossed that there is more good news than bad since that will set the tone for the remaining seven weeks of the year.
Welcome to the bizarre world of Wall Street where good news is often bad news simply because it isn't good enough.
Wal-Mart Stores reported a third-quarter profit Thursday that beat analysts' estimates while its store sales fell in the period amid a "difficult" selling environment.
Despite much hope that Americans are finally thawing out of their year-long self-imposed shopping freeze, store sales last month were good in pockets -- but not great, as many analysts were hoping.
Recently a friend was shopping for boots at Saks, only to be told the store was out of her size. "You're the sixth person I've had to turn away," the sales clerk said. My friend is not alone. But at a time of slumping sales, shouldn't it be easier to find what you want?
Christmas has come early for retail stocks. The Standard & Poor's Retail Index is up 72% from its lows in March, compared with a 61% gain in the broader S&P 500 Index over the same period.
Retail sales fell in September after a popular program aimed at boosting auto sales ended, but the drop was smaller than economists had expected, government data showed Wednesday.
Santa's load will be lighter once again, with crucial year-end holiday sales expected to decline for a second year in a row, according to an industry forecast Tuesday.
Wal-Mart is looking to jump-start holiday sales by expanding last year's $10 toy incentive tenfold, the company said Wednesday.
A key measure of consumer confidence fell in September, after a gain in the previous month, raising concerns about retail sales in the upcoming holiday season, a research group said Tuesday.
Retail sales rose for the second straight month in June, the government reported Tuesday, but the gains came mostly from auto purchases, higher gas prices and a modest pick up in electronics sales.
While some kids are still counting the days until the end of this school year, retail experts are looking ahead to the back-to-school shopping ritual as the first real test of whether the economy is recovering.
Most retailers continued to suffer sagging sales in May despite reports that showed more American consumers are regaining confidence in the economy.
Even though retailers got some much-needed relief from their sales drought in April, industry watchers cautioned against concluding that American consumers are back to shopping with a vengeance.
Retail sales suffered an unexpected big decline in March which broke two straight months of improving sales, the government reported Tuesday.
Wal-Mart Stores reported March sales Thursday that were much softer than analysts' forecasts, citing an "Easter calendar shift" that it expects to push holiday-related purchases into April.
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