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On Wall Street, the retail sales figures that count aren't absolute numbers. Investors act based on how those numbers compare to what was expected, and in the case of Black Friday Internet sales, reality beat the predictions. That's good news for Amazon.

If expectations become reality, retailers will have a good holiday season this year. According to a report from the International Council of Shopping Centers on Wednesday, retailer optimism is at a three-year high.

Toys R Us is going to the mall. The giant toy store chain will open a raft of temporary toy stores for the holidays, including more than 80 locations in malls nationwide. The Toys R Us Holiday Express stores will open in early October and close in mid-January. Customers will get all the same...