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Retailers saw sales decrease the week ending December 7 of 1.6% versus Thanksgiving week. However, Cyber Monday sales of online shopping reached $1.7 billion, an increase of 18% over 2012. This is recorded as the “heaviest online spending day” by comScore. Cyber Monday was the second day this holiday season to exceed $1 billion –... Read more »

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in November for the sixth consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 54th consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. The PMI* registered 57.3 percent, an increase of 0.9 percentage point from October’s reading of 56.4 percent. The... Read more »

Visa provided some details on holiday transaction volumes and they are very encouraging. Nov 28 – $0.99 billion spent (up 30% from LY), 14 million transactions (up 29% from LY) Nov 29 – $1.7 billion spent (up 24% from LY), 21 million transactions (up 24% from LY) Nov 30 – $1.3 billion spent (up 37%... Read more »

Even before its final round of deals kicked in at Walmart on Friday morning, the retailer announced that sales had exceeded last year’s record-breaking results with 10 million transactions completed between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving. “Our Black Friday events were bigger, better, faster, cheaper and safer than ever.  More customers chose us,... Read more »

WASHINGTON—U.S. employers continued to add jobs at a steady pace and the unemployment rate fell in November, a sign of stronger economic growth that may intensify debate within the Federal Reserve about reducing central bank bond purchases as early as this month. U.S. payrolls rose by 203,000 last month, the Labor Department said Friday. The... Read more »

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) announced that, in connection with its previously announced consideration of a separation of its Lands’ End business, Lands’ End, Inc. filed today a registration statement on Form 10 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sears Holdings intends to spin off its Lands’... Read more »

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.2 percnt in October to 97.5, following a 0.9 percent increase in September, and a 0.7 percent increase in August. “The modest rise in the Leading Economic Index in October follows the strong advances recorded in the prior two months, which helps lift the six-month... Read more »

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had decreased sharply in October, declined again in November.  The Index now stands at 70.4, down from 72.4 in October.  The Present Situation Index edged down to 72.0 from 72.6.  The Expectations Index declined to 69.3 from 72.2 last month. “Consumer confidence declined moderately in November after sharply... Read more »

The amount of money that consumers spent over the Thanksgiving weekend is estimated to have slipped 2.7% to $57.4B, the National Retail Federation says. The drop is in contrast to estimates that Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales at brick-and-mortar stores rose 2.3%. The average consumer spent $407.02 over the whole weekend, down 3.9% from last... Read more »