September retail sales improve but some barely match 2005, SpendingPulse reports

October 8th, 2009 Stores say sales may finally be turning aroundNEW YORK — Americans are finally spending a little more, but they're playing hard to get. A tally of sales at top stores managed a gain in September for the first time in more than a year.

October 8th, 2009 Retail sales comparisons for SeptemberHere are comparisons of how major stores in four key areas of retailing fared in September compared with a year earlier. The figures from participating companies show the change in sales at stores open at least year.

October 8th, 2009 Target September sales metric beats estimatesMINNEAPOLIS — Target says a key sales measure dipped 1.7 percent in September but beat analyst estimates. The result led the discount retailer to predict third-quarter earnings per share above Wall Street's forecast.

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.

August 14th, 2009 Correction: Story on retail sales and economyWASHINGTON — In an Aug. 13 story about July retail sales, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Wal-Mart Corp.'s second-quarter earnings fell.

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 Stocks edge lower after jobs, retail dataNEW YORK — Stocks turned lower in early trading Thursday as disappointing reports on jobs and retail sales deflated some of investors' optimism about the economy. Investors sent the major indexes slightly higher at the opening, but stocks failed to hold on to the gains and extend Wednesday's big rally, which followed upbeat comments from the Federal Reserve.

August 13th, 2009 Ahead of the Bell: Retail SalesWASHINGTON — Retail sales likely rose again in July, boosted by the government's popular Cash for Clunkers program. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect retail sales rose 0.7 percent last month after a 0.6 percent increase in June.

August 13th, 2009 Stocks creep higher after jobs, retail dataNEW YORK — Stocks are pushing moderately higher after a better-than-expected earnings report from Wal-Mart helped to offset disappointing data on jobs and retail sales. Investors are hesitantly adding to Wednesday' big gains, which came after upbeat comments from the Federal Reserve.

August 6th, 2009 Futures mixed ahead of jobs, retail sales reportsNEW YORK — U.S. stock futures are mixed in a narrow range as investors refrain from making big bets ahead of reports on retail sales and the labor market.

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 28th, 2009 UK retailers say sales dropping in JulyLONDON — Most U.K. retailers say that sales are declining in July, though grocery and shoe stores are bucking the trend with rising volumes, the Confederation of British Industry said Tuesday.

July 3rd, 2009 Euro zone retail sales down 0.4 percent in MayLONDON — Retail sales fell in May in the 16 countries that use the euro, in a further sign that consumers aren't optimistic about their future in the midst of a deep and widespread recession. Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, says retail sales in the euro zone fell by 0.4 percent from the previous month.

June 29th, 2009 Ford analyst says June best month for sales in '09DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co.'s top sales analyst says June was the industry's best month of the year, with sales falling less than 30 percent.

December 26th, 2008 NEW YORK - US stocks lifted across the board Friday, pulled up by automobile and oil shares and defying gloomy retail reports. Hope for more auto sales grew after the Federal Reserve late Wednesday accepted the application by General Motor's lending arm - GMAC Financial Services - to become a bank holding company.