Stocks rose on Monday after a strong gain in retail spending suggested that consumers could be getting more confident about the economy. Bank stocks rose broadly after Citigroup delivered a strong earnings report.
Americans loosened their purse strings in May to update their wardrobes with bright new styles and take advantage of Mother's Day promotions.
Prom has gotten almost absurdly pricy: The average teen this year will spend $1,078 on the spring formal. Be smarter than average, and try these tips from consumer expert Andrea Woroch that could save you and your teen a ton, without making the night any less special.
Executives ask themselves daily: "What can I do to give my company an edge?" Studies show that the answer may be as simple as hiring more women for executive and board of director roles. So you just might want to invest in these six companies that have done just that.
J.C. Penney's new CEO plans to remake the tired old department store chain a la the Apple Store and Target, and his fresh ideas are earning him applause. But as investors and industry watchers cheer Ron Johnson's turnaround concepts, they're ignoring some big potholes on the road ahead.
Layaway became obsolete in the bubble years, an anachronism from bygone times when many consumers couldn't access credit. In today's rough economy, layaway is making a comeback for the holidays. But for investors who hold certain retail stocks, this may mean lumps of coal in their portfolios.
This holiday season, layaway is making a comeback at several large retailers. Layaway is the process of buying an item which you leave at the store and pay for over time, often with a one-time service charge but no credit check. It's not a perfect system, but here's why it beats those "no interest/no payments for X months" deals hands-down.
Next week brings more earnings reports from big-name companies, including several home improvement giants, a couple of "good enough" computer makers, penny-pinching discount masters, and office supplier Staples -- whose results might stand as an indication of the broader economy's health.
Summer is here, which means for many of us, it's time for a new swimsuit. But as they hunt for a suit that truly suits, many women have to wonder: How is it that two-pieces can be so expensive when they're so tiny? DailyFinance's Loren Berlin dove into the clothing biz and came up with the answers.







