Stronger retail sales and sentiment boost stocks

[NJmaverick]

Source: Associated Press

he Commerce Department said retail sales rose 1.3 percent in November, more than double the increase analysts had expected and better than the 1.1 percent rise in October.
The report boosted hopes that consumers are starting to feel more comfortable opening up their wallets after months of building up their savings. A recovery in consumer spending, a major component of U.S. economic activity, is seen as one of the key elements to sustained growth.
A separate report showing an increase in consumer confidence signaled that spending could continue to rise. The preliminary Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index rose more than expected in December.
In another positive sign, the Commerce Department reported a 0.2 percent gain in business inventories in October, breaking a 13-month streak of declines. That's a signal of confidence from businesses that consumers will step up their purchases.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091211/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/us_wall_street;_ylt=ApDvVZDR8M36lY05CexjpCGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFmajBvdWFwBHBvcwMxMDAEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9idXNpbmVzcwRzbGsDc3Ryb25nZXJyZXRh

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Yet more signs things are turning around

[ixion]

1. oh yeah... it's all rainbows and lolipops from here on...

:eyes:

[NJmaverick]

3. I find it a messed up situation when GOOD NEWS is unwelcome

:eyes:

[Purveyor]

5. Get used to it. Every positive news article I post gets the same response.

Now I attempt to go out of my way to post at least 1 positive news article a day just to piss "them" off...

Have a nice day and thank you for posting. K&R

[NJmaverick]

6. Too many DUers staked their reputation on the idea that Obama would be a terrible president

any fact that may prove that idea wrong is very unwelcome. Doesn't matter if it is good for the nation and its people, being proven right is more important.

[ixion]

7. wow...you know, my opinion has nothing to do with that at all...

it has to do with the fact that the problems that created the initial meltdown have yet to be fixed.

It has NOTHING WHAT SO EVER to do with my feelings about Obama, other than the fact that he hasn't worked to fix the original issues.

[NJmaverick]

8. "hasn't worked to fix the original issues" Really?

you actually are going to that the Obama administration has made no effort to fix the issues? I am not one of the haters, I know the facts and value them. So please don't try and sell me a the false claim that that he hasn't worked to fix it. That is just insulting.

[ixion]

9. well, they haven't

I'm sorry if you can't accept the facts, but until banks right down the real value of their assets, nothing has been fixed.

[NJmaverick]

11. You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/17/politics/main5093719.shtml

and

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/House-poised-to-back-rb-530627491.html?x=0&.v=3

[FreakinDJ]

18. Lets face it - They'er begining to look a lot like Loosers

I'm doing great financialy

Anuity Savings earning over 25% (surpased losses from last year)
Personal Income is up 11% over last year
Over-Paying the mortgage $250 every month

If they can't, or are unwilling to adapt to Economic Slumps its their own dammed fault.

[ixion]

22. you post MSM spin as fact

that is truly laughable. :rofl:

[Po_d Mainiac]

25. ya beat me to it

I have yet to see them report the "revised" numbers which have consistently been down from the initial numbers released.

http://www.briefing.com/Investor/Public/Calendars/EconomicCalendar.htm
http://www.briefing.com/GeneralContent/Investor/Active/ArchiveSearch/ArchiveSearchInvestor.aspx?PageId=3229

[Teaser]

21. the term is "write down"

I presume that was simply a spelling error.

[ixion]

23. yeah, my bad...

posting while eating lunch and not proof reading. Thanks.

[Kahuna]

12. People actually unrecommend positive economic news. You'd think

bush was still in office. Wait, according to THEM, he is... :eyes: DU is becoming just naother free republic these days.

[NJmaverick]

13. Yes, sadly it is

so many DUers are showing that ideological extremists are more alike than different.

[TheWatcher]

26. People Unrecommend spin and Propaganda.

At least people who can think for themselves, and can see what's really going on.

Those who love to be conned, and will believe anything they are told in the name of feeling good, ignoring reality at any cost, and blind support of "The Football Team" will voraciously drink in all the spin.

If anything, those who speak out and question the Propaganda are becoming increasingly demonized by unquestioning cheerleading.

DU has not become another FR, it has become more of a group think asylum.

[janx]

17. There are various reasons for this, and not all of them

have to do with a negative attitude toward Obama. Some people stupidly got far too wrapped up in the stock market and saw their money evaporate when it turned to hell. Others are in dire circumstances for other reasons (myself included) and can't wait for the economy to rebound.

But it takes time. In the case of the stock market, it takes a long time! I've been reading the stock market charts that show data from the last ten years. They are amazing.

K&R

[Mojorabbit]

30. The 6 oclock news

said if you subtract autos and gas the number was much lower. Shrugs. Why gas would be included in this category is beyond me.

[bluestateguy]

19. Typical

Good economic news comes out = it must be a fraud or the books are cooked

Bad economic news comes out = it must be treated as gospel truth and everything is going to hell in a handbasket

[ixion]

20. Typical

DLC'ers applying over-simplified generalizations to other posters.

[Robbien]

2. Taking out gasoline sales, things don't look so bright

More people driving for Thanksgiving rather than flying helped pump up the retail numbers.

[NJmaverick]

4. If a cow had horns it would be a bull

you can't randomly adjust figures that are not to your liking.

[neverforget]

14. Excluding gas and auto sales, sales increased 0.6%

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story/print?guid=E6C8D086-B4C4-403D-8E9B-AA273E1B06E5

[NJmaverick]

15. Why should we exclude these? what is the reason?

[TheWatcher]

27. So that you will believe the spin.

And it works.

[Kahuna]

10. But but but..just the other day, the Gloom and Doom Squad were

citing a NY Times article that said the opposite. Surely they can't be wrong!
:sarcasm:

[NJmaverick]

16. The gloom and doom squad" operate mainly in an intellectual dishonest fashion

so it stands to reason they would be wrong more than they are right.

[Po_d Mainiac]

29. Perhaps the author of the article was believable..CNBC is laudable n/t

[winyanstaz]

24. Having owned a few stores in my lifetime.....I have to say...

that this is the time of year when sales rise. This is the time of year when a business makes all the money needed to see them through for another season.
To point to it and say it is a sign of a better economy because sales are rising is not honest.
This is not such a big rise or even close to what it would be or should in a healthy economy even though it is something.
What that tells me is that Americans are determined to have a Christmas/Yule season...even if it means plunging further into debt.

[mitchum]

28. A shocking miracle that retail sales have increased at this time of year!

Whowouldathunkit?
A miracle, I tell ya!