ECONOMY & MARKETS

Number of Black Friday Weekend shoppers increase from last year

Holiday shoppers walk through Time's Square in New York
The National Retail Federation (NRF) said that 212 million U.S. shoppers visited stores and websites over the Black Friday weekend, up from 195 million last year. Moreover, the average shopper spent $365.34 this weekend, up from last year’s $343.31 figure.
With New York's Empire State Building behind them, a group of friends play in the snow in a park along the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey

It may be cold, but historically December is hot month for stocks

While investors currently grapple with a number of very troubling geopolitical and economic issues -- namely the threat of war in Korea and the potential sovereign debt contagion in Europe, interest rate hikes by China, among others – some might take solace in the fact that December has consistently been the best-performing months for U.S. going back more than sixty years.
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US futures point to flat opening

Futures on major U.S. indices point to flat opening on Monday as the European Union’s 85 billion euro ($113 billion) financial assistance package for Ireland failed to boost investor sentiment.
Traders gather around the General Motors trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Stocks sink on Korea, euro debt worries

Stocks tumbled in a holiday-shortened session on worries over threats of war by North Korea and pervasive fears that the euro zone sovereign debt crisis may spread to Spain and Portugal. Apparently, traders saw little solace in what appears to be shaping up as a strong Black Friday on the retail front.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains make their way through a rail yard in Cicero Illinois

Railway stocks on track for long-term growth

Railroad companies are probably not at the top of most investors’ wish list, but these stocks have performed superbly this year and likely represent a solid long-term investment theme.
A man walks past a hiring sign in Virginia

It’s hiring stupid! Adding 200,000 jobs a month is the real test

The fall in initial jobless claims in the U.S. to the lowest level since July 2008 is not a right pointer to a possible labor market recovery, according to an analyst, who says the true test for the economy is the creation of anything above 200,000 payroll jobs in a month.
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Top After-Market NASDAQ Gainers (ARQL, MGIC, ACTG, HAUP, SODA)

The top after-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: ArQule, Magic Software Enterprises, Acacia Research, Hauppauge Digital, SodaStream International, Oclaro, Orexigen Therapeutics, Golar LNG, LJ International, and Northern Technologies International.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Stocks rebound, ahead of Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Stock rallied broadly on some encouraging number from the labor market, shrugging off worrying geopolitical developments in Asia and some dour housing data, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday, which will kick off the Christmas shopping season.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

US futures extend gains after jobs data

Futures on major U.S. stock indices extended earlier gains on Wednesday after the Department of Labor reported that weekly jobless claims fell sharply last week to the lowest level since July 2008.
A train car waits in line at the Potash Corp's Cory mine site near Saskatoon

RBC Cuts Potash profit view

RBC Capital Markets lowered its profit estimates for PotashCorp after the company decided to fund its share buyback from sale of debt securities rather than utilizing its existing credit facilities.
A Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving dinner may cost a mite more

Thanksgiving traditionally means a celebration of plentiful harvest, but people this year may end up spending a little more on the thanksgiving dinner than before according to the 25th annual survey done by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

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