February retail sales worse than expected (MUCH worse).

[Pale Blue Dot]

Source: MSNBC

Consumers, battered by plunging home prices and a credit crunch, stayed away from the malls in February, pushing retail sales down by a larger-than-expected amount. It was another worrisome sign that the country could be falling into a recession.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that retail sales fell by 0.6 percent last month, far worse than the small 0.2 percent increase that analysts had been expecting.

The weakness was widespread with sales of autos, furniture and appliances all down.

It marked the second time in the past three months that retail sales have taken a tumble. Sales had fallen by an even bigger 0.7 percent in December, the largest drop in six months, as the nation’s retailers suffered through a dismal holiday shopping season. Sales posted a modest 0.4 percent gain in January.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23609249/

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I wouldn't be suprised if Wall Street gives back all of its Tuesday gains today.

:scared:

[ixion]

1. gee, we're still seeing the "could be a recession" denials from the MSM

I guess it won't be a recession until we're in the throes of depression. :eyes:

[SpiralHawk]

2. "We are doing a heckuva job, SURGING ahead (with shock and awe). Smirk." - Republicons

[Maeve]

3. Ow! That's going to leave a mark

Not that it's any surprise to those of us in the "reality based" community...

[PSPS]

4. But last December & January, the advertiser-funded MSM said christmas sales were great!

[Jackpine Radical]

5. When Marie Antoinette's head rolled, some took it as a worrisome sign

that the mob was turning peevish.

[chat_noir]

6. Finnfan, you called that right...

Index Value: 11,990.82
Trade Time: 9:36AM ET
Change: Down 119.42 (0.99%)

[Doctor_J]

7. It will be bloody today. Bushancke's band-aids are not covering the

gaping wounds any more. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate these people?

[qanda]

8. I guess eating is more important than a new outfit

Just guessing...

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Hasn't given them up yet... it is in the green and I smell a PPT

in the offing. Does not make any sense

[H8fascistcons]

10. Please Help...

FYI You can buy almost all of your clothing needs at www.allamericanclothing.com All clothes are union made and are very reasonably priced. Help support your fellow struggling Americans, what a great thing it would be to help put some pain in the pocketbook of the multinational corporations who ship our jobs to China....




*Please never forget that the Bush crime family could never continue to commit crimes or destroy our constitution without the help of the criminal Fascist enablers Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reed, Rahm Emanuel, Steny Hoyer, Jay Rockefeller. They do not get to decide which crimes against the constitution to ignore....