Euro zone retail sales down 0.4 percent in May as consumers remain reluctant to spend

September 15th, 2009 Summary Box: Retail sales jump in AugustSPENDING REBOUNDS: The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 2.7 percent in August, the most in more than three years. A spike in auto sales, spurred by the Cash for Clunkers program, and higher gas prices drove the increase.

September 15th, 2009 NEW YORK - US stocks climbed to new highs for 2009 as retail sales gained by the most in three years and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke said the country's recession was "very likely" at an end. Bernanke said there was general agreement among economists that the US would return to growth in the third quarter of this year and continue to pick up in 2010.

August 14th, 2009 NEW YORK - US stocks rose Thursday led by the banking sector and sweeping aside reports of a decline in retail sales. The bank rally was spurred after the firm of a prominent hedge fund investor, John Paulson, bought shares in troubled Bank of America Corp and Regions Financial Corp.

August 13th, 2009 Retail sales unexpectedly dip 0.1 percent in JulyWASHINGTON — Retail sales outside of autos turned in a disappointing performance in July, underscoring concerns about the timing and durability of a recovery from the worst recession since World War II. The Commerce Department said Thursday that retail sales fell 0.1 percent last month.

August 13th, 2009 Summary Box: Unexpected drop in retail salesWHAT HAPPENED?: Retail sales fell unexpectedly in July, while first-time claims for jobless benefits rose slightly last week. The reports raised concerns about the ability of consumers to fuel a broad economic recovery.

August 13th, 2009 Euro area economy contracted only 0.1 pct in Q2LONDON — The recession in the 16 countries that use the euro eased substantially between April and June after unexpected growth in Germany and France, the euro zone's two largest economies, official figures showed Thursday. The European Union's statistics office Eurostat revealed that the euro zone's gross domestic product fell by only 0.1 percent in the second quarter from the previous three month period.

August 5th, 2009 Euro retail sales fall 0.2 pct in JuneBRUSSELS — The European Union says retail sales in the 16 nations that use the euro fell 0.2 percent in June from a month earlier, showing that consumers are wary of spending as unemployment hits a 10-year high. Shoppers cut back spending both on daily essentials such as food, drink and tobacco and on non-food items such as clothing, electronics and medicines.

July 31st, 2009 Euro-zone prices fall for second monthBRUSSELS — The EU statistics agency says euro-zone consumer prices fell 0.6 percent in July from a year ago. Lower demand for energy and other goods has caused prices to plunge in the region, according to figures released Friday.

July 9th, 2009 A snapshot of retail sales in JuneNEW YORK — Retail sales were weak in June for the 11th consecutive month, raising worries about how consumers will approach the back-to-school shopping season. Here's an analysis of Thursday's same-store sales reports: THE RESULTS: The International Council of Shopping Centers-Goldman Sachs same-store sales tally for June fell 5.1 percent below the tally for June 2008, worse than the latest forecast for a 4.5 percent decline.

June 12th, 2009 NEW YORK - US stocks posted gains Thursday amid a drop in long-term borrowing costs, a rise in oil prices and improving US retail sales. The stock gains sent the Standard & Poor's 500 Index to its highest level of 2009.

June 12th, 2009 Euro zone industrial output slumps in AprilLONDON — Industrial production in the 16 countries that use the euro slumped in April, official figures showed Friday, stoking fears that the euro zone remains in the grip of recession despite signs elsewhere that a recovery of sorts may be underway. The European Union's statistics office Eurostat said a 1.9 percent drop in April — the eighth consecutive monthly fall — pushed the annual rate of decline down to a record 21.6 percent.

May 13th, 2009 Investors jump into Treasurys as retail sales fallNEW YORK — Unexpected weakness at the nation's retailers fanned concerns about the health of the economy and boosted demand for the safety of government debt Wednesday. Treasury prices jumped as stock market investors worried that the optimism that fed a two-month surge in stocks off of 12-year lows in March might have been overdone.

May 13th, 2009 Dollar gains on economic reports, bad news abroadNEW YORK — The dollar reversed course Wednesday, gaining broadly as U.S. retail sales took a turn for the worse and news from abroad highlighted the recession's impact in Europe.

May 6th, 2009 Euro-zone retail sales slide by record 4.2 pctBRUSSELS — Retail trade in the 16 nations that use the euro slid by a record 4.2 percent in March from a year ago, the EU statistics agency said Wednesday, as recession-hit shoppers cut back over worries on rising unemployment. The European Union said some 8.5 million jobs will disappear this year and next year as the economies of both the euro area and the 27-nation European Union shrink by 4 percent.

April 22nd, 2009 IMF says euro zone to shrink 4.2 percent this yearLONDON — The International Monetary Fund is warning that the countries using the euro currency will see their economies shrink 4.2 percent this year. It says next year will be tough as well but that the economy should start bouncing back sometime in 2010.