Tree Sales, Mall Traffic Send Mixed Retail Signals
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Sold-out Christmas tree lots and  packed parking garages at malls during peak hours at first  glance may suggest a merrier Christmas for retailers, but they  are actually signs the holiday season may be a mixed one for  U.S. retailers, analysts said.
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Shoppers put aside worries about the slumping economy to go to the malls and auto dealerships in January. That propelled retail sales to a surprising rebound following a dismal December.
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Early openings, deep discounts and resurgent department stores appeared to give merchants at the mall an edge over discount retailers during the holiday weekend.
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Retail sales posted a modest gain in August, helped by the biggest jump in auto sales in more than a year. But there are concerns that spending could falter as the steep slump in housing and financial market turbulence weigh on consumer confidence.
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Three pillars of the economy &#151; consumer confidence, orders for manufactured goods and home prices &#151; showed surprising cracks on Tuesday, flashing signals that growth may slow more heading into the important holiday shopping season.
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In spite of a burst of Friday spending, the holiday shopping season got off to a sluggish start, forcing retailers to reassess their strategies for luring buyers. Slow sales reported by three retail sales trackers on Tuesday were blamed on higher fuel costs and an overall lack of confidence in the economy.
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WASHINGTON -- Retail sales posted a modest gain in August, helped by the biggest jump in auto sales in more than a year. But there are concerns that spending could falter as the steep slump in housing and financial market turbulence weigh on consumer confidence.
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US stores post mixed results for the holiday season, with luxury retailers faring well and others forced to slash prices.
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Retailers are still mulling the results from the first weekend of the holiday shopping season. But the outlook is still murky
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U.S. shoppers came out in droves in  November, but warm and wet weather, combined with steep holiday  discounts, prompted less-than-stellar sales at many chains,  retailers said on Thursday.
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With a weak back-to-school season behind them, the nation's retailers are focused on the holidays and what steps they need to take to get consumers excited about shopping again. That could mean some quick merchandise changes and more aggressive discounting than they originally planned.
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Long lines and crowded parking lots did not stop scores of shoppers from mobbing stores Sunday to take advantage of sales or return unwanted gifts.
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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Positive reports issued Monday by two retailing bellwethers -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. -- gave some hope that holiday-related selling may have picked up ahead of Christmas.
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By Russell Working, Chicago Tribune  May 28--The front side of the Forest Park Mall could belong to any shopping center on Roosevelt Road. Behind a stucco facade, customers hunt for groceries at Ultra Foods, shower curtains at Kmart, phones at a US Cellular store.
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Retail chains on Thursday reported moderate May sales increases as warmer weather fueled demand for seasonal items, like gardening and other outdoor goods, helping retailers rebound from a dismal April.
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SIGNS that shoppers are trickling back to the High Street today soothed fears that retailers are heading for a dismal Christmas. The CBI said a net 11% of retailers reported higher sales in October than a
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Holiday shoppers, intent on finding bargains, descended on the region's shopping centers Friday. But, in what could be a worrisome sign for retailers, many consumers vowed to watch their wallets closely.