RETAIL SALES

The number of victims of identity theft dropped by more than a quarter in the U.S. last year, the largest annual fall on record, but individual victims lost more money on average than ever before.

Cities and towns across the United States started to dig out on Thursday from a winter storm that stretched for thousands of miles, with many areas still grappling with treacherous travel conditions.

Eurozone retail sales fell unexpectedly for a second consecutive month in December last year, showing continued weakness in the household demand.

American car owners gave a confidence boost to auto manufacturers, as General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota posted double digit gains in January US auto sales.

Joblessness in Germany fell more than expected in January to leave the unemployment rate at its lowest level since March 1992, data showed, fuelling hopes that consumer spending will help underpin the country's economic

German retail sales fell unexpectedly in December 2010, posting a decline for a second consecutive month, the Federal Statistics Office said on Monday.

Retail sales in debt-stricken Spain fell sharply in December 2010, recording a decline in sales for the sixth consecutive month.

The companies that reported earnings before the markets open on Tuesday are: Verizon, Johnson & Johnson, 3M Co., EMC Corp., Corning, DuPont, Kimberly-Clark, Sherwin-Williams, Harley-Davidson and W.W. Grainger.

By lunchtime in London – and compared with New Year 2011's record highs – the Gold Price in Dollars stood 6% lower, in Euros 7.5% down, and in British Pounds nearly 9% lower.

UK retail sales slid 0.8 per cent in December as food, petrol and clothing sales remained under pressure and the adverse effects of the snow dented high street spending.

South Africa's Reserve Bank left its repo rate steady at 5.5 percent as expected on Thursday, citing an improving economic outlook and sustained recovery in domestic consumption.

South Africa's retail sales growth expanded more than expected in November as consumer demand improved, further reducing lingering hopes that the central bank might cut its key repo rate on Thursday.

Gold rebounded slightly on Monday from a one-percent fall in the previous session, after China further tightened its monetary policy to curb inflation, and holdings in the gold-backed exchange-traded fund continued falling.

Stocks rose modestly, boosted by strong corporate earnings from J.P. Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), allowing the S&P 500 index to score its seventh consecutive week of gains.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Friday after weak retail sales and a mixed reaction to JPMorgan Chase & Co's quarterly earnings.

U.S. stocks are down slightly in Friday morning trading after the release of U.S. retail sales data and news of further monetary tightening from China.

Retail sales in the U.S. rose marginally in December as well as for the year 2010, according to a report by the U.S. Commerce Department.

Wal-Mart’s (NYSE: WMT) efforts to establish its first footprint in the vast New York City market promises to be long and bumpy ride, as forces opposed to the discount retailing giant’s presence gather their resolve. Meanwhile, the company seems equally determined to build a store in the city.

Even as the rest of the world's efforts to push consumer spending and economic growth are floundering, Brazil reported a more-than-expected rise in retail sales during November.

U.S. stocks opened flat in early trade on Thursday, following weaker-than-expected weekly jobless claims and December retail sales data.

Online spending in the United States rose 13 percent to almost $31 billion till date this holiday shopping season compared with the year-ago levels, according to research firm comScore.