RETAIL SALES

Sales at U.S. retailers climbed slightly in January as Americans took advantage of post-holiday promotions, and although Tuesday's data fell short of economists' median projection, it still provided yet another hopeful sign of a strengthening economy.

Stock index futures edged up Tuesday after upbeat data from Germany offset ratings agency Moody's downgrade of six euro zone countries.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices pared earlier losses and point to a slightly higher opening Tuesday ahead of of economic data including retail sales.

U.S. stock markets may begin the week with gains as stocks in Asia and Europe advanced after Greek parliament approved austerity measures demanded by Eurozone leaders to secure a bailout package and avoid a messy debt default.

China's annual inflation rate hit 4.5 percent in January, which is the highest level in three months, according to the official data released Thursday.

Chrysler is profiting from strong Jeep sales and automakers are expected today to announce healthy year-over-year January sales increases in the U.S., with only General Motors Corp. trailing the pack.

Mobile retail app Shopkick on Tuesday, announced it's software drove over $100 million worth of in-store purchases last year. According to company chiefs, consumers armed with Shopkick enabled smartphones spent $110 million at participating retailers over the last 12 months, the location based app's first full year of operation.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 indexes up 0.5-0.6 percent.

Japan's core consumer prices fell for the third consecutive month in the year to December, and mild deflation is expected to persist this year as energy prices stabilize and worries about Europe's debt crisis suppress wage growth and economic activity.

New car sales in January continued to rise at a steady pace, according to TrueCar.com, continuing the auto industry's slow but stable recovery.

Concluding a two day meeting, the Fed released it's plans for monetary policy through 2014 today. Fed plans to keep the interest rate near zero through 2014.

Hopefully, retailers liked 2011, because 2012 is looking like it will offer more of the same.

Enraged Chinese shoppers pelted Apple Inc's flagship Beijing store with eggs and shoving matches with police broke out when customers were told the store would not begin sales of the popular iPhone 4S as scheduled.

The Eurozone's economy deepened its downturn at the end of 2011 as retail sales fell and sentiment soured, but the first improvement in the business climate in 10 months offered hope that an expected recession may be mild.

U.S. online sales for the 2011 holiday season rose 15 percent to hit an all-time high, according to data firm comScore.

Jefferies said its several checks suggest that online sales rose a solid 15 percent year-over-year in the Nov. 1 to Dec. 18 holiday season period, an acceleration from the pace of growth in the first nine months of the year.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday pointed to turmoil in Europe as a big risk to the U.S. economy, leaving the door open to a further easing of monetary policy even as it noted some improvement in the U.S. labor market.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday pointed to turmoil Europe as a big risk to the economy, leaving the door open to a further easing of monetary policy even as it noted some improvement in the labor market.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday left monetary policy on hold but said financial market turbulence posed threats to economic growth, leaving the door open to further easing next year.

Futures pointed to a slight rebound on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.46 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.41 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.34 percent at 5:28 a.m. ET.

The sell-off in European stocks and the euro eased on Tuesday but concerns the region remains a long way from solving its sovereign debt crisis was seen likely to keep the pressure on.