consumer demand

Following a record Black Friday, retail sales hit new heights on Dec. 17 -- the penultimate shopping Saturday before Christmas and a day when retailers trot out themed promotions. It's a sign that many consumers have rebounded from the recession and unleashed their pent-up buying demand.

Many people blame America's high unemployment rate on a mismatch between workers' skills and the fields with open jobs. But jobs are scarce across all sectors. That means effective policies are needed to stimulate demand and rebuild economic output.

The nation's automakers ended 2010 strong, with most reporting higher sales for December. Consumers seemed to put concerns about the U.S. economy on hold and more than offset reduced demand by fleet customers, such as corporations and rental-car companies.

The nation%u2019s manufacturing recovery accelerated in October as factory output jumped 0.5%, the Federal Reserve said. Overall industrial output was flat in the month, but the typical autumn plunge in utilities output skewed the top-line stat lower.

April wasn't the best month for producer prices, but overall, inflation remains tame. Producer prices rose 0.3 percent in April, the U.S. Labor Department announced Thursday, as food costs increases offset other wholesale price declines. Meanwhile, the core rate, which excludes the often-volatile...