Consumers strained by price surge last year
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Shoppers faced moderate price rises in December, but that capped a year in which prices soared at the sharpest rate in 17 years, pressuring households also dealing with a steep housing downturn and tighter credit.
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Oil prices above $50 a barrel - and rising - are now starting to adversely affect the economy and consumers in ways that had not been happening only a few months ago.
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Widespread German price increases, including those of butter and electricity, are starting to weigh heavily on consumer confidence, a monthly poll by the GfK institute showed Friday.
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Consumer prices jumped a  bigger-than-expected 0.8 percent in November, the sharpest  climb in more than two years and driven by surging energy  costs, a government report released on Friday showed.
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Figures showing a drop in retail sales spark fears that the recent consumer spending rebound could be coming to an end.
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Consumer prices posted their biggest  gain in more than two years in November as energy costs surged  and a host of other prices marched higher, damping prospects of  further interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.
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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
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Lots of retailers took a tumble over the last year. Which ones should bargain hunters be watching?
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Retailers may be in for a blue Christmas this year as worries about soaring energy prices, consumers' cost-consciousness and a warmer December than last year make for lackluster holiday sales, retail analysts said.
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Consumers have been rattled this month by a surge in gasoline prices, a weakening job market and signs that the housing market is skidding.
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Consumers paid sharply more for fruits, vegetables and gasoline last month, the government reported yesterday, suggesting that inflation may be stirring again after being dormant for several months.
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Consumers battered by a multitude of economic woes came roaring back in November, pushing retail sales up by the largest amount in four months.
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US retail sales are set to slow markedly this year as consumers feel the impact of rising interest rates, the National Retail Federation says.
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Prices of necessities are up sharply over the past year, meaning that those items consume more and more of the household budget, leaving less for other things.
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U.S. consumers spent an estimated $535 more on gasoline in the past year, but some consumer goods categories benefited as people shifted away from luxuries such as dining out and stayed home, according to a new study.
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For a lot of consumers, especially come December, the line appears to be blurring between giving and receiving.
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A surge in the cost of gasoline and other energy products pushed consumer prices up by 3.3 percent in 2004, the biggest jump in four years, but relief may be on the way. Consumer prices actually dipped in December as energy costs moderated.