RETAIL SALES

U.S. consumer spending in March rose more than had been expected by analysts. Meanwhile, core inflation remains low.

The International Monetary Fund warned that Asian policymakers should monitor growing financial imbalances fueled by cheap credit.

Retail sales fell 0.4 percent last month, the U.S. Commerce Department said Friday. Consumer confidence is down, too.

A lower Friday open is expected ahead of the release of March retail sales data and corporate earnings reports.

The Detroit giant sold 245,950 vehicles last month. Cadillac sales surged nearly 50 percent. All brands registered sales gains.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a flat open Wednesday ahead of the publication of a key retail sales report and import price index.

The Commerce Department's February retail sales report will show a 0.2 percent rise over January's level, analysts say.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a slightly lower open Monday after stocks reported biggest weekly gain since January in the last week.

Asian stock markets mostly advanced Monday as better-than-expected U.S. non-farm payroll data boosted sentiment.

Here’s a rundown of some nuggets from Wednesday’s Beige Book, which can be used to get a feel for the direction of the U.S. economy.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) posts 7 percent rise in total sales in February, to 224,314 units.

The U.S. stock index futures point to slightly higher open Wednesday, ahead of the U.S. retail sales data release by the Commerce Department scheduled at 13:30 GMT. Retail sales is expected to show a 0.1 percent rise in January, against a 0.5 percent increase registered in December as consumers eye smaller paychecks on the back of a recent tax increase.

Activision Blizzard's “Skylanders” franchise has topped $1 billion in worldwide retail sales, the company announced Monday.

Gossip magazines, such as People, Star, Us Weekly and In Touch, have seen their single-copy sales diminish over the last year, according to data from the Alliance for Audited Media.

Having just weathered a blizzard of economic reports, investors and traders can look ahead to a fairly light calendar next week.

Detroit’s Big Three saw double-digit sales growth in January - a continuation of an impressive recovery that's supporting US GDP.

A strong 2013 start is expected when automakers release January sales figures Friday after the best December since the 2008-09 recession.

Japan’s retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.4 percent in December in comparison to the same period last year, but lower than the 1.3 percent growth cloaked in November.

Even if Spain asks for a bailout, it won't be enough to address the country's deep-seated problems, according to a European economist.

Asian stock markets advanced Friday as sentiment was buoyed following the release of improved economic data in both the U.S. and China.

China’s economy rose at a better than expected rate in the fourth quarter of last year, indicating that economic growth is reviving.