Americans stepped up their spending at retail businesses in September, reflecting their growing confidence in the economy. Retail sales rose 1.1 percent last month, the Commerce Department said. That followed a 1.2 percent increase in August. Both were the largest gains since October 2010.
If you plan to chase away those end-of-summer blues with some retail therapy, DailyFinance has what you need: a rundown of some of the best deals and shopping tips for the Labor Day weekend, from the savings gurus at FatWallet.com, ShopItToMe.com, BradsDeals.com and DealDecor.com.
Showrooming -- when shoppers check out potential purchases in bricks-and-mortar stores, then buy them cheaper online -- is crushing many chains. But a few retailers are holding up just fine.
Best Buy is suffering from falling sales, and it needs a new CEO, but it's not dead yet. Thinking outside the big box, there are ways to get the consumer electronics retailer back on track.
The refrigerator is the second-biggest electricity hog in most homes, so if you want to trim your power bill, it's a great place to start. The best solution is to ditch your old one for a new, energy-efficient model, but if that isn't in your budget, here are a few options.
Investors got more evidence today that the manufacturing sector expansion continued into late summer/early fall. The key ex-transportation component also came in higher, at 0.4%. And the ex-defense number rose 1.9%. A solid month overall.
General Electric will invest $432 million in its appliances division, resulting in the creation of 500 jobs. The conglomerate wants to expand its market share in the refrigerator market and boost the number of appliances made in the U.S.
