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Consumer confidence dropped in early March

Consumer Sentiment Weaker in February as U.S. Spenders Look for a Brighter Future

Consumers are feeling relatively upbeat about where the economy will be six months from now, but right now, after maxing out their credit card and perhaps purchasing a big-ticket item over the holidays, they're planning on sticking to a budget. Those are the main findings from a preliminary survey of February consumer confidence conducted by the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters, which was released Friday morning.

J.C. Penney Pricing Strategy: What is in Store? (Exclusive)

Harikesh S Nair
J.C. Penney Co is introducing a three-tier price model by which the retailer is essentially committing to a new markdown pricing strategy that will convince consumers that some items will not have price reductions (everyday fair price), thereby their risk of buying at current prices is low, according to a Stanford University business faculty.
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Pippa Middleton, Kate Middleton

Middleton Sisters Outfashioned Lady Gaga

Britain's Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa have bumped Lady Gaga off the international fashion map. The wife of Prince William, now formally known as the Duchess of Cambridge, topped a fashion buzzword list for a second year running while outrageous pop star Lady Gaga disappeared from sight.
Carolina Herrera

Navy likely new black at New York Fashion Week

Navy is likely to replace black on the catwalk when New York Fashion Week starts on Thursday, with experts expecting rich fabrics, waist-defining jackets and some 1920s-inspired styles sparked by movies like The Artist.
Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren sales soar, shares jump

Ralph Lauren Corp reported better-than-expected results for the holiday quarter, helped by double-digit sales growth at its own stores as well as increased sales to department stores, and the clothing maker raised its margin forecast.
Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen breaks silence on furor over J.C. Penney gig

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres said she was proud and happy that retail store J.C. Penney had stood by her in the face of a conservative anti-gay campaign, and said there was no such thing as a pro-gay bandwagon.
U.S. Consumer Credit

Credit Card Charges in December Spike Consumer Credit

U.S. borrowers tacked on $19.6 billion in revolving -- mostly credit card-related -- debt in December, according to preliminary data from the Federal Reserve. Non-revolving credit was also up. Borrowing grew across all categories -- be it charges on commercial credit cards, student promissory notes, auto loans of fixed-term mortgages.
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Amazon to Open Retail Store in Seattle

Amazon.com may be opening a small retail store in Seattle within the coming months. According to the Good E-Reader blog, Amazon is primarily interested in testing out the market and seeing whether a chain of stores could prove profitable or not. However, rather than constructing a mega-store, the online retailer plans on opening a boutique-like shop that focuses on the sales of their e-readers, tablets and other high-end products.

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