retail

Stories 101 - 120 | << Prev   Next >>

Recession, Competition Imperil Malls

100 shopping centers could be 'dead' by year's end

(Newser) - A half-century-old American standby is ailing as shopping malls around the country struggle to stay afloat, the Wall Street Journal reports. Same-store sales in shopping centers fell 6.5% in the year ending March 31, and the biggest mall operator has seen sales drop 7.3%. Some 100 malls could...

UK Shop Ends Bra-Size Discrimination

Surcharge for large-chested women corrected after public uproar

(Newser) - British retailer Marks & Spencer has agreed to standardize prices across bra sizes so bustier women won’t pay more for their undergarments, the BBC reports. The store ran advertisements in UK newspapers admitting it had “boobed” by adding an extra $3 for bras over DD size. It was...

Old Days&mdash;Good and Bad&mdash;Are Back: Noonan
Old Days—Good and Bad—Are Back: Noonan
OPINION
Apr 17, 2009 10:36 AM CDT

Old Days—Good and Bad—Are Back: Noonan

In slump, simple pleasures are chic as traditional values gain

(Newser) - Reading about a Michigan family that shed modern excess in favor of a self-sufficient farm life didn't strike Peggy Noonan as shocking in these economic times. Her fellow New Yorkers have already begun responding to the same forces, causing Noonan to predict the rise of "a certain authenticity chic,...

Dow Drops 138
 Dow Drops 138 
MARKETS
Apr 14, 2009 3:26 PM CDT

Dow Drops 138

Retail report also drives declines

(Newser) - Stocks sank today on a 1.1% drop in retail sales for March, and losses deepened after both President Obama and Ben Bernanke gave speeches cautioning against undue economic optimism, the Wall Street Journal reports. Both acknowledged “tentative signs” of recovery but stressed the long road ahead. The Dow...

March Retail Sales Show Surprise 1.1% Drop

Blow to hopes that economy has hit trough

(Newser) - Retail sales fell unexpectedly in March, delivering a setback to hopes that the economy's steep slide could be bottoming out. The Commerce Department cited a 1.1% drop, the biggest decline in 3 months and a much weaker showing than the 0.3% increase that analysts expected. Falling auto sales...

Retailers Gain; Dow Climbs 48
 Retailers Gain; Dow Climbs 48 
MARKETS
Apr 8, 2009 3:28 PM CDT

Retailers Gain; Dow Climbs 48

Investors overcome grim FOMC minutes

(Newser) - Stocks posted gains today after dipping into the red after the release of minutes from the Fed open market committee’s March meeting, during which forecasts were lowered, the Wall Street Journal reports. Family Dollar Stores' strong earnings report encouraged investors, and the consumer and retail sectors saw broad advances....

Wal-Mart Gives Workers $2B in Bonuses, Rewards

(Newser) - The recession has been kind to Wal-Mart, and it’s decided to share the wealth with the wage slaves. The mega-discounter will dole out about $2 billion in financial incentives to its hourly workers, Reuters reports, including $933.6 million in bonuses and $788.8 million in profit-sharing and 401(k)...

Retail Giants Likely to Shrink in '09

(Newser) - Retailers are fighting to survive in 2009, some more successfully than others. Some 73,000 stores could close their doors by year’s end. Forbes breaks down which chains are shrinking the fastest:
  • Ann Taylor: Catering to working women isn’t so great when unemployment’s at 8.1%. Expected
...

Wal-Mart Crushing Target
 Wal-Mart Crushing Target 
Mar 14, 2009 11:18 AM CDT

Wal-Mart Crushing Target

(Newser) - In theory, Target should be thriving in the recession because it's a discount retailer. In reality, it's in a funk, even as rival Wal-Mart flourishes, reports Time. The difference? Target is viewed as a place to buy nice clothes at nicer prices—and right now, nice clothes seem like a...

Guess Who's Taking On the Apple Store?

Microsoft hires Wal-Mart guru for new retail effort

(Newser) - Microsoft has hired a former Wal-Mart exec to help the company open a chain of retail stores—a new strategy in its battle with Apple. The move is the latest sign of upheaval at Redmond, reports the Financial Times, and represents a change in approach. "To open their own...

Stocks Plunge Despite Retail Surge
 Stocks Plunge Despite 
 Retail Surge 
MARKET Open
Feb 12, 2009 8:56 AM CST

Stocks Plunge Despite Retail Surge

(Newser) - Stocks plunged at the open this morning, despite a surprisingly good retail sales report, the Wall Street Journal reports. Retail sales unexpectedly rose 1% in January, ending a seven-month slide, but the Dow tumbled more than 150 points at the open anyway. The S&P shed 1.7% and the...

Surprise! Retail Sales Up 1% in Jan.

Gas prices, food and clothing spending end 6-month drop

(Newser) - In an unexpected twist, US retail sales climbed slightly in January after falling for six straight months, Bloomberg reports. Retail sales rose 1% as gasoline prices increased and consumers spent more on food and clothing, despite forecasts that sales would fall 0.8%. But consumer spending is expected to fall...

Saks' Deep Price Cuts Changed All the Rules

Even high-end shoppers have gotten a taste for bargains

(Newser) - When Saks Fifth Avenue slashed prices 70% in November to kickstart a stalled holiday shopping season, it changed the rules for the entire luxe market, reports the Wall Street Journal. Retailers like Neiman Marcus and Barney's followed suit, putting an end to the unwritten deal the stores had with designers:...

Stocks Fall on Retail, Job Data
 Stocks Fall on Retail, Job Data 
MARKET Open
Feb 5, 2009 8:52 AM CST

Stocks Fall on Retail, Job Data

(Newser) - Stocks slid at the open today, following yet more negative numbers from retailers and the Labor Department, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow dropped 52 points, while the S&P fell 1%. The Nasdaq dropped 1.2%, weighed down by sub-par earnings from Cisco. New jobless claims ripped past...

Retail Drives Dow Down 122
 Retail Drives Dow Down 122 
MARKETS
Feb 4, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Retail Drives Dow Down 122

Bank of America continues fall as government fix remains unclear

(Newser) - The stock market saw losses today as ugly earnings reports and continued uncertainty over the banking sector soured investor confidence, the Wall Street Journal reports. Bank of America, off 10.6%, was that sector’s big casualty; a grim forecast pushed Costco down 6.8%. The Dow fell 121.70...

Robots Begin Takeover of Retail Warehouses

Enslave no one, but do increase efficiency

(Newser) - The age of robots is upon us. Or at least, you might think so if you walked into one of the dozen retail warehouses currently manned by Kiva System’s robotic workers. The bots, which look a bit like a giant orange toaster, zip autonomously around the warehouse, completing orders...

Circuit City Liquidation Sales Will Begin Tomorrow

Consumer-electronics chain has $1.3B in inventory to get rid of

(Newser) - Circuit City will begin the liquidation of $1.3 billion in inventory across 567 stores in special sales tomorrow, Reuters reports. The company hasn’t said anything specific on the discounts it might offer, but markdowns are likely to be deep. Gift cards from the chain will be redeemable at...

Citi Paces Dow's 248-Point Drop
 Citi Paces Dow's 248-Point Drop 
MARKETS
Jan 14, 2009 3:29 PM CST

Citi Paces Dow's 248-Point Drop

Economic news and financial upheaval mean losses for stocks

(Newser) - Financial shares led stocks to deep losses today as a set of economic reports did little to reassure investors, MarketWatch reports. Citigroup lost 23.05% on news it will shed several units, while an index fund of financial shares dropped nearly 5%. The Dow closed down 248.42 at 8,...

Wal-Mart Sends Dow South
 Wal-Mart 
 Sends Dow 
 South 
MARKET Open
Jan 8, 2009 8:48 AM CST

Wal-Mart Sends Dow South

Retailers not doing so hot

(Newser) - Stocks tumbled at the open today after Wal-Mart slashed its earnings estimates, driving fear in the retail sector. The Dow dropped 62, while the Nasdaq and S&P fell 0.5% and 0.7% respectively. There was more bad news on the job front, with unemployment claims climbing to their...

'Sea Change' In Store for Retail

Shops to shut, brands to fold as bankruptcies soar

(Newser) - Shaken by a tough holiday season and bracing for more trouble, the retail scene may look very different in 2009, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some stores will be reducing inventory and cutting suppliers, which could force small manufacturers to fold. Retail bankruptcies could abound. "We will have a...

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