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The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.
Linus Pauling Categories
Author Archives: Anne D'Innocenzio
Americans in November more confident about economy
Americans’ confidence in the economy in November bounced back to its highest level since July, the latest sign that consumers are beginning to feel more cheerful about spending during the holiday shopping season. Read More
Shoppers lift economy but will they keep spending?
The economy might not be on the brink of another recession after all. Consumers, who drive most economic growth, spent more on cars, furniture, electronics and other goods in July — and more in May and June than previously thought.
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5 ways to be smart about back-to-school shopping
Prices on back-to-school items from socks to notebooks are rising 10 percent on average, but there are lots of great deals — and new ways to find them. Read More
Debunking 5 shopping myths
If you think a super-sized container of peanut butter is always a better deal than a tiny version, think again. Bigger is not always cheaper. And don’t count on getting a bargain on designer goods at an outlet or off-price chain. Read More
Inflation worries push consumer confidence lower
Rising prices at the gas pump and in grocery aisles are starting to crimp shoppers’ outlook.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply from a three-year high in February, reversing five straight months of improvement. The decline raises questions about Americans’ ability and willingness to spend in coming months. Read More
Economy recovering, but recession’s shadow is long
Layaway, once the province of the poor, has gone mainstream. At the Mall of America in Minnesota, shoppers dart in for just one or two things. In New York, socialites do the unthinkable: They wear the same ball gown twice.
During the Great Recession, people made drastic changes in how they spent their money. They stopped treating credit cards as cash. They learned to save and learned to wait . . . read more Read More
In a tough economy, old stigmas fall away
The Goodwill store in this middle-class New York suburb is buzzing on a recent weekend afternoon. A steady flow of shoppers comb through racks filled with second-hand clothes, shoes, blankets and dishes.
A few years ago, opening a Goodwill store here wouldn’t have made sense. Paramus is one of the biggest ZIP codes in the country for retail sales. Shoppers have their pick of hundreds of respected names . . . read more Read More
Consumer confidence rises only slightly in October
Americans’ confidence in the economy rose only slightly in October from September, according to a monthly survey, as they continue to grapple with job worries.
The weak outlook comes in the face of a rebounding stock market and underscores challenges retailers face as they prepare for the holiday shopping season, which is expected to see only modest gains from a year ago.
The confidence report and another report that showed a drop in home prices helped send stocks lower in early trading . . . read more Read More
Survey finds support for Fed but split on spending
Economists are satisfied with the Federal Reserve’s current interest rate policy, but they’re divided over how the central bank should proceed over the next 12 months, a new survey finds . . . read more Read More
Stock and job woes take toll on Americans’ mood
So much for optimism. A dramatic drop in consumer confidence sent stocks plunging Tuesday, June 29, and left a key index at its lowest level of the year, heightening fears that the economic recovery is stalling.
The nation is in no mood to spend its way back to growth, but businesses have been . . . read more Read More
Consumer confidence falls sharply
A monthly poll showed consumers’ confidence took a surprisingly sharp fall in February amid rising job worries. The decline ends three straight months of improvement and raises concerns about the economic recovery.
The Conference Board said February 23 its Consumer Confidence Index fell almost 11 points to 46 in February, down from a revised 56.5 in January. Analysts were expecting only a slight decrease to 55 . . . read more Read More
New report: Consumers spent modestly in January
Americans backed off from their holiday spending pace in January, but retail sales rose for a third month in a row compared with a year earlier, largely because of . . . read more Read More
