consumer spending

Confidence At U.S. Small Companies Climbs To Three-Year High, Survey Shows

Confidence among U.S. small companies rose in February to the highest level in three years as hiring and sales expectations increased, a survey showed.The National Federation of Independent Business's optimism index climbed to 94.5, the... more »

N.Y. Gift Fair Puts Rising Consumer Confidence On Display

Gift-buying trends revealed at last month's New York International Gift Fair underscore consumers' ongoing focus on value, but also a possible upswing in their confidence.Dorothy Belshaw, senior vice president of GLM -- which has owned... more »

Retail Report Could Be Best In Over A Decade

WASHINGTON — February may be the second-least important month of the year for retailers, but indications are that the monthly sales report for that period could be a blowout.Economists polled by MarketWatch expect a 1.4%... more »

Retail Juggernaut Buckland Pioneer Sees Region Pushing Sales Well Beyond Its $1 Billion A Year

Decades after his vision turned a tobacco field and other Buckland Hills land into Connecticut's biggest retail engine with more than $1 billion in annual sales, developer John Finguerra says the area, especially nearby Evergreen... more »

Fed Survey: Economy Expands Throughout US

WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy expanded in January and early February in all parts of the country, but businesses reported they are under pressure to raise their prices.A Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday showed that... more »

Birmingham Business Kicks Off Strong In 2011

Last year brought signs of hope as Birmingham enjoyed a year of solid business growth for retailers and new business activity. Existing businesses reported sales gains in 2010, many reporting 10 percent or higher. Retail... more »

Crowds Fill Summit For Consumer Expo

It seemed like strolling along a busy main street adorned with gift shops, art galleries, travel agents, insurance offices, charitable agencies, banks and lodging accommodations.Yet, it all took place in one large room inside Canton's... more »

Calgary Retail Sales Forecast To Soar

Retail sales in the Calgary region are forecast to balloon by $7.2 billion to $28.678 billion a year in 2015, far outpacing the annual rate of growth at the national average.Seeing a 9.1 per cent... more »