CHRISTMAS

When the U.S. holiday shopping season kicks off on the day after Thanksgiving, retailers can expect to see millions of less frightened, but even more bargain-hungry customers cross their thresholds.

When the U.S. holiday shopping season kicks off on the day after Thanksgiving, retailers can expect to see millions of less frightened but even more bargain hungry customers cross their thresholds.

Bon Jovi claimed its fourth No. 1 album on the U.S. pop chart Wednesday, despite a sharp drop in sales.

It's that time of year: a cold chill in the area, short days with longer nights, and steaming mugs of hot chocolate making a more frequent appearance. Here's some inspiration to brighten up those dark

If it's the second weekend in November, it must be Christmas in Hollywood.

More than half of U.S. retail chains posted October sales that fell short of Wall Street's heightened expectations, raising doubts about a widespread recovery for the holiday season.

More than half of U.S. retail chains posted October sales that fell short of Wall Street's heightened expectations, raising doubts about a widespread recovery for the holiday season.

U.S. retail chains reported October sales that rebounded from the lows of a year ago but many failed to surpass Wall Street's boosted expectations as consumers spend selectively headed into the holiday season.

Take a classic Christmas tale, a dollop of Jim Carrey and a sprinkling of innovative movie technology.

U.S. online sales are expected to rise 8 percent this holiday season, with mass market retailers who can offer discounts performing best, according to Forrester Research Inc.

Foreman Danny Miranda remembers the days when the Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, ports were so jammed that ships waited in line to unload. Now the lingering recession has longshoremen waiting in line for work.

Some store chains are hedging a major bet they made this year by slashing inventories, sometimes as much as 25 percent, to make sure they do not get stuck with a glut of merchandise for a second consecutive year.

Foreman Danny Miranda remembers the days when the Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, ports were so jammed that ships waited in line to unload. Now the lingering recession has longshoremen waiting in line for work.

U.S. employers are slowly hiring workers, despite the worst labor market in 26 years, according to a survey on Monday that suggested companies are becoming more confident in the economy's prospects.

U.S. retailers that pushed deep, margin-sapping discounts in 2008 to try to lure holiday shoppers during the recession are going to try to break consumers of the 70 percent-off habit in 2009.

U.S. retailers gave investors an early Christmas present, posting their first monthly sales increase in more than a year and suggesting that wounded consumers might begin to heal in time for the crucial holiday season.

U.S. retailers probably saw sales decline again in September, signaling weak demand leading into the holiday season that will require chains to sharpen their focus on value.

The economy is still spooking shoppers. U.S. consumers plan to spend an average of $56.31 on Halloween this year, down from $66.54 in 2008, according to a National Retail Federation survey.

U.S. holiday spending is expected to be flat versus a year ago, as consumers remain cautious and the national unemployment rate hovers at nearly 10 percent, Deloitte said in a forecast released late on Sunday.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is expecting a late Christmas as consumers continue to carefully manage spending, CEO Mike Duke said at an investor conference on Thursday.

After clamping down last year, U.S. holiday shoppers are more willing to crack open their wallets in 2009, but still intend to hunt for discounts, a survey released on Tuesday found.