Home sales and rates may extend Santa rally
96628
Investors have only a sprinkling of economic data on their plates in the last full week of 2007, but if the numbers come through as expected, stocks may extend Friday's early Santa Claus rally.
510978
Sales of previously owned homes nudged up in November, but that was not enough to improve the broader picture of a market racked by record-high foreclosures.
85972
The holidays are here, and investors are wondering: Will Santa put some jingle in their pockets this year? So far, so good. Since President George W. Bush&#39;s Nov. 2 reelection, the stock market has roared, sending
528683
The holiday shopping season is ending on a better note than it began, and most retailers are on track to meet humble sales goals. Still, retailers hope for a boost the week after Christmas as consumers cash in gift cards.
690141
EASTLAKE, Ohio - Don't blame the Grinch or Ebenezer Scrooge if this northeast Ohio city isn't quite as jolly and bright for Christmases to come.  City officials say money - or a lack of it - is causing them to put costly holiday decorations up for sale.
562538
Christmas can&#39;t come soon enough for the nation&#39;s retailers, but this year, it also might not come strong enough. High energy costs, rising interest rates, and consumer unease about threats
390683
With less than two weeks of shopping left until Christmas, the nation&#39;s malls and stores stepped up discounts over the weekend, but business appeared to be mixed, according to analysts.
555209
Holiday sales are expected to rise,  though at a slower rate than last year as consumers fret about  the declining housing market, according to a National Retail  Federation economic forecast on Tuesday.
702403
US stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday as the &quot;Santa Claus&quot; rally kept going for a third straight day. The economic news was mixed and trading was light as Wall
84348
Wall Street is hoping its traditional  year-end "Santa rally" will pick up steam in the week ahead.
408640
U.S. stocks rode their Santa rally  higher on Wednesday, as oil prices tumbled more than a dollar,  third-quarter economic growth rose more than previously thought  and mortgage finance company Fannie Mae FNM.N rallied.
669449
Stocks were set to push a little higher on the last trading day of the year, but data on existing home sales could limit any advance.
525353
With the 2007 run-up to Christmas boosted by a last-minute sales surge, retailers are putting an extra emphasis on after-Christmas discounts, hoping bargain shoppers and gift-card splurgers can enrich stores' holidays.
594152
The best month on record for sales of previously-owned homes nationally is partly due to the post hurricane rebound in Florida. The National Association of Realtors says November&#39;s sales of existing homes
298011
Sales of existing U.S. homes  unexpectedly rose by 2.7 percent in November as low mortgage  rates fueled a record pace of home-buying, a trade association  report showed on Wednesday.
137924
Last-minute shoppers saved the Christmas season for retailers with a surge of spending last week. Sales were up 11.6 percent for the week compared with last year, according to ShopperTrak.
372973
This week will see the release of October new and existing home sales, a measure of strength in the housing industry. But the short holiday week will also leave investors looking ahead to the holiday travel season.