An early Easter and a spring thaw helped spur shoppers into stores in March, and retailers now expect to post healthy gains for the month. The International Council of Shopping Centers said that sales are up 4.7% over the same time last year.
Major snow storms that blanketed the country may have helped first-time weekly unemployment insurance claims rise 22,000 on Thursday, but some analysts believe the rise in claims is due to other causes.
Ski resorts are loving the winter storms that have pounded the East Coast. In industry lingo, "Backyard Syndrome" means people are overtaken by a desire to ski or snowboard if they see snow around their homes.
So far, much of the U.S. has experienced a bitterly cold winter, and the harsh weather is forecast to linger through February. It's been a boon for some sectors of the economy, even as it drags down others.
Another big storm in the Midwest and Plains states could ruin retailers' last chance in that part of the country to make up lost ground before Christmas.
A theory by two accounting professors known as "the sunshine effect" suggests that the price of certain stocks may tend to move higher than normal when earnings are announced on sunny days.
