RETAIL SALES

China's factories ran at their slowest rate for 39 months in August, the government reported Sunday.

A slowdown in exports, a slump in the earnings of domestic companies and surging food prices cast downward pressure on the world's second-biggest economy in August as the China's National Bureau of Statistics reported Sunday that the Consumer Price Index rose 2 percent.

China's factories ran at their slowest rate for 39 months in August while a double-digit rise in fixed asset investment showed that infrastructure spending remained key to economic growth.

Asian stock markets ended with gains last week after the European Central Bank (ECB) announced plan to reduce borrowing costs of struggling euro zone countries’ and news that Chinese regulators had approved another batch of infrastructure projects, which should stabilize and restore growth in the world's second largest economy. Market participants’ are likely to focus on Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) interest rate decision on September 13th.

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week to its lowest level in a month, an upbeat signal for a labor market that has struggled to create enough jobs.

Chile retained its top spot among Latin American economies as the most economically competitive nation, while its neighbor to the east continued falling, according to a report from the World Economic Forum, which hosts the annual economic summit in Davos, Switzerland.

Labor Day 2012 is finally here, marking the end of summer and bringing in the autumn season. The national holiday is a time for a lazy break from work, a final summer barbeque and major retail sales.

Most of the country's largest merchandisers on Thursday reported solid same-store sales this month.

Asian stock markets declined Thursday as the disappointing Japan retail sales data and the fading hopes for fresh measure by the Fed Reserve weighed on the sentiment.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a lower open Thursday as investors continue to have concerns about the weakening global economy and worsening economic growth momentum.

The Nikkei share average plunged Thursday on concerns that Ben Bernanke, the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, will not announce imminent stimulus from the Fed in a key speech on Friday.

Asian markets fell Thursday as investors' concerns about the weakening global economy was revived by the declining Japanese retail sales and disappointing South Korean manufacturers' confidence data.

The number of Americans lining up for new jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, suggesting little improvement in the labor market.

An unofficial gauge of human misery in the U.S. is now sitting at its lowest level in three years. Not four. In other words, while conditions have improved somewhat, Americans are still feeling miserable under President Barack Obama's watch and that obviously doesn't bode well for Obama's re-election chances.

Asian shares rose and the euro hit a seven-week high Thursday as the Federal Reserve's minutes raised the prospect for more U.S. stimulus while uncertainty continued over progress in Europe's debt crisis, including the European Central Bank's bold action.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a slightly lower opening Wednesday ahead of the retail sales report and producer price index.

China's May data dump over the weekend and on Monday painted a mixed picture of the economic health of the world's second-largest economy.

Crude oil futures rallied Monday as market participants welcomed Europe's plan to provide financial assistance to Spain to properly restructure its troubled banks.

Stock markets in China and Hong Kong gained Monday as sentiment was buoyed on news that the euro zone will provide financial assistance to help Spain's troubled banks.

Many analysts anticipated China's balance-of-trade figures for May would be OK, but the customs numbers reported Sunday were better than that expectation: Year on year, the country's exports rose 15.3 percent, and its imports rose 12.1 percent.

As a weak economic recovery and cheaper gasoline alter the travel plans of Americans from international trips to domestic jaunts, the Gulf Coast could be a big winner.