consumer spending – News Stories About consumer spending - Page 7

Retailers Checking Out as Economy Falters

Apr 15, 2008 8:00 AM CDT

Retailers Checking Out as Economy Falters

Each default brings widespread fallout

(Newser) - Stores across the country are closing their doors, the New York Times reports, victims of a downturn in consumer spending. Retailers are often heavily leveraged, and as the economy falters banks are tightening credit. Several chains, including Sharper Image, have declared bankruptcy; others like Footlocker, Ann Taylor, and Zales are...

Gas Fuels US Retail Sales, Up 0.2% in March

Apr 14, 2008 10:25 AM CDT

Gas Fuels US Retail Sales, Up 0.2% in March

Inflation may also be factor as spending remains flat otherwise

(Newser) - US retail purchases rose in March by 0.2%, pushed up by higher prices at the gasoline pump, Bloomberg reports. Purchases excluding gasoline were unchanged, and consumer spending is still on its way down, causing investors to think that the Federal Reserve might again look to cut interest rates—despite...

Plastic Surgeons
Feel Subprime
Pain

Apr 5, 2008 2:55 PM CDT

Plastic Surgeons Feel Subprime Pain

Multi-billion dollar industry sagging noticeably

(Newser) - The subprime crisis has hit Goldy Anthony hard; she can’t even afford her bi-monthly trips to the plastic surgeon anymore. “I would rather have Botox than go out to dinner, but it’s just gotten so bad,” says Anthony, who works in Los Angeles' slumping mortgage business....

Personal Spending Slows
to a Crawl in February

Mar 28, 2008 11:37 AM CDT

Personal Spending Slows to a Crawl in February

Inflation cooling, but consumer confidence is down

(Newser) - Personal spending—a major force in the health of the economy— rose just 0.1% in February, its smallest increase in 16 months, the Wall Street Journal reports. The increase, which actually beat analysts' estimate of a 0.1% decrease, came despite a bump in personal income and signs that...

GDP Growth Weakest Since '02

Mar 27, 2008 12:46 PM CDT

GDP Growth Weakest Since '02

0.6% increase matches estimates; markets still focused on credit issues

(Newser) - The US economy sputtered—as expected—in the fourth quarter of 2007, growing at the slowest rate since 2002, MarketWatch reports. Estimated growth of the US gross domestic product was 0.6% for the last three months of 2007, matching economists' forecasts. Consumer spending grew 2.3%, and exports increased...

Retailers Expressing Gratitude

Mar 19, 2008 1:58 PM CDT

Retailers Expressing Gratitude

Slow economy sparks personal greetings from retailers

(Newser) - Today's slow economy has sparked more retailers to thank shoppers with bouquets and personal notes, Portfolio reports. Common for big spenders, such thank-yous are now mailed to regular shoppers too—like one reporter who bought two shirts and a jacket at Nordstrom. "Our salespeople build relationships with their customers...

Credit Crunch
Slows Spending

Mar 18, 2008 11:10 AM CDT

Credit Crunch Slows Spending

Consumers, businesses tighten belts just as economy needs fuel

(Newser) - Fewer credit card offers, tougher mortgage requirements, and a slowdown in business expansion all are likely because of the worsening credit crisis, reports the Washington Post. Banks are looking to limit exposure to high-risk customers and restore their own bottom lines. And that’s tough medicine for an economy that’...

Wal-Mart Leads Feb. Retail Rally

Mar 6, 2008 10:47 AM CST

Wal-Mart Leads Feb. Retail Rally

Overall sales jump doubles expectations, calms consumer spending fears

(Newser) - Big retailers showed unexpected signs of life in February, beating weak sales predictions to inject some hope into the market. Wal-Mart led the way, posting a 2.6% same-store increase, beating its own predictions of flat-to-2% growth. Overall, same-store sales climbed 1.9%, with more than half of retailers beating...

Tanking Dow Drops 315 Points

MARKETS

Feb 29, 2008 3:15 PM CST

Tanking Dow Drops 315 Points

Huge AIG, Dell losses spark sell-off

(Newser) - The Dow lost an incredible 315.79 points today to close at 12,266.39 as AIG reported the biggest losses in its history and bellwether Dell reported a year-over-year fourth-quarter profit decline of 6%. The Nasdaq slipped 60.09 to 2,271.48, and the S&P 500 lost...

Consumer Spending Stalls Again

Feb 29, 2008 12:03 PM CST

Consumer Spending Stalls Again

Confidence is falling as inflation rises

(Newser) - Consumer spending rose more than expected in January—but only because prices did so as well, Bloomberg reports. Adjusted for inflation, spending remained flat for the second straight month. With fuel costs rising, banks restricting loans, and property values falling, “consumers are clearly hard-pressed to maintain their standard of...

Consumers
Cut Credit
Card Spending

Feb 8, 2008 10:49 AM CST

Consumers Cut Credit Card Spending

Delinquencies rise; economists see slowdown

(Newser) - Americans may be falling out of love with their credit cards, the Wall Street Journal reports, and banks seem to be returning the sentiment. As more and more consumers are delinquent on their payments, banks in turn are tightening borrowing standards, making it harder for them to extend their credit....

Sony Profit Up, Forecast Down

Jan 31, 2008 7:44 AM CST

Sony Profit Up, Forecast Down

PlayStation 3 is finally in the black, but outlook for consumer electronics is weak

(Newser) - Slowing US consumer spending and a strengthening yen are prompting Sony Corp to cut its profit forecast for the fiscal year that ends in March. Estimates released yesterday were cut nearly 8%, to $3.85 billion, despite its PlayStation division showing a profit for the first time in two years,...

Amazon Gets Late Christmas Present

Jan 30, 2008 5:47 PM CST

Amazon Gets Late Christmas Present

Holiday shopping doubles retailer's quarterly income

(Newser) - Amazon's net income more than doubled in the fourth quarter, in part because of the retailer's sales gimmicks for the holidays, reports the Wall Street Journal. In addition, Amazon released a cheerier than expected forecast for this year's first quarter. The good news could help soothe Wall Street's nervousness over...

Retail Sales In Surprise Swoon

Jan 15, 2008 8:42 AM CST

Retail Sales In Surprise Swoon

Sales drop 0.4% in Dec.; consumers finally slowed by housing woes, gas prices

(Newser) - Retail sales fell 0.4% in December, an unexpected drop that capped off retailers’ worst year since 2002 and is sure to fuel rampant recession fears. “Consumer spending slowed down pretty dramatically,” one economist tells Bloomberg. “We are kind of flying very close to a stall speed....

American Express Feels Credit Crunch

Jan 10, 2008 7:33 PM CST

American Express Feels Credit Crunch

With defaults on rise, company taking hefty fourth-quarter charge

(Newser) - With consumer spending slowing and credit defaults on the rise, American Express said today it will take a fourth-quarter charge of $275 million to build up its charge-card reserves, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company, which cited housing turmoil as a contributing factor, also predicted earnings to come in...

Goldman Predicts Recession

Jan 10, 2008 12:31 PM CST

Goldman Predicts Recession

Wall Street's top firm sees two unhappy quarters ahead

(Newser) - Goldman Sachs is predicting that the economy will slide into a recession this year—which has Wall Street worried, because Goldman’s been right about everything else. The investment firm forecasts a mild pullback extending over two quarters, driving up already-growing unemployment. “If we don't get job growth we...

Consumers Open Wallets Wide

Dec 21, 2007 11:14 AM CST

Consumers Open Wallets Wide

Spending index records biggest increase since July 2005

(Newser) - Consumer spending grew 1.1% in November, its biggest rise since July 2005. The better-than-predicted figure accompanied a revised 0.4% October gain, adjusted from 0.2%. Taken together, the numbers “postpone fears of a recession at least until next year,” said one economist. Jobs numbers and salaries...

Nov. Retail Sales Up 1.2%; Sky May Not Be Falling

Dec 13, 2007 10:09 AM CST

Nov. Retail Sales Up 1.2%; Sky May Not Be Falling

(Newser) - November’s retail sales confounded doomsayers, surging 1.2%, twice the 0.6% analysts predicted, Bloomberg reports. Many had worried that consumer spending would take a hit as gas rose and housing fell, but now it looks like job and income growth could cushion the fall. “The numbers should...

Even Fat
Wallets Closing

Nov 25, 2007 12:34 PM CST

Even Fat Wallets Closing

Nation's wealthiest aren't spending, signaling steep economic trouble

(Newser) - Wealthy consumers, the 20% of the population responsible for nearly 40% of consumer spending, are closing their wallets, indicating an even rougher economic road ahead, reports Bloomberg. “When they begin to capitulate, that’s when we all head down,” said one economist. Blame deflating real estate prices and...

US Ranks
Third in GDP Per Person

Nov 22, 2007 11:42 AM CST

US Ranks Third in GDP Per Person

Household spending rate is second-highest in world, report says

(Newser) - The US trails only Luxembourg and Norway in GDP per person and has the second highest household spending rates among 55 nations in a new report, reports the Wall Street Journal. The GDP measures household and government spending as well as business investment and net exports. The US per capita...