J.C. Penney reported stronger-than-expected sales for the third-quarter, but the department store operator's failure to raise its forecast for the year appeared to add to worries that the holiday shopping season could turn out to be a dud. read more >

Sharp declines in retailers are dragging stocks lower as the market heads for its first losing week after six straight weeks of gains. read more >

The opening of the retail earnings seasons began ominously with Macy's, which dragged shares of almost every retailer sharply lower Wednesday. read more >

The nation's consumers shopped the winter clearance racks in January, resulting in strong sales during the month for a diverse group of retailers. But analysts expect shoppers to pull back as the deals dry up and Americans digest rising gas prices. read more >

Retailers including Wal-Martare doing everything they can to make it easier for more finicky shoppers to spend money during the holidays. Here's a closer look at the incentives some retailers have begun offering this year. read more >

Retailers from Wal-Mart to Macy's are doing everything they can to make it easier for more finicky shoppers to spend during the holidays. Several are opening on Thanksgiving Day. Some are offering free layaway and shipping. Many are matching in-store prices with cheaper online deals. read more >

The Motley Fool asks which company is the better investment: Dillard's Inc. of Little Rock or Macy's Inc. of Cincinnati. read more >

Target Corp. will open its doors at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving, joining other major retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., that are opening earlier in the evening on the holiday. read more >

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville is upping the ante on the holiday shopping season, planning to open its doors open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, two hours earlier than a year ago. So how are competitors responding? read more >