The nation's largest retail trade group says holiday spending rose a better-than-expected 5.5 percent, the strongest gain since the Great Recession. read more >

The National Retail Federation on Thursday named Wal-Mart Stores Inc. President and CEO Doug McMillon as the 2018 recipient of its "Visionary" award. read more >

The nation's largest retail trade group is forecasting holiday sales for the November and December period to rise between 3.6 percent and 4 percent to $678.75 billion to $682 billion. read more >

Walmart won't be doing large-scale holiday hiring at its stores this year. Instead, like last year, it will offer extra hours to its current workers. read more >

It's starting to look a lot like the Great Recession redux for retailers. read more >

The nation's largest retail trade group is predicting that annual retail sales will increase between 3.7 percent and 4.2 percent this year. read more >

A stronger economy helped boost holiday sales both in stores and online this season, but department stores continued to struggle as habits shift. read more >

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it's kicking off its so-called "Cyber Monday" deals at 12:01 a.m. EST Friday for the first time ever as it aims to grab customers ahead of its competitors. read more >

All industries, from health care to manufacturing, have faced a shortage of workers. Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business & Economic Research at the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas, says increasing pay would be the first action she would suggest when companies can’t find the right workers to fill positions. read more >

The National Retail Federation is forecasting retail spending growth of 3.1 percent in 2016, a slowdown from the group's annual estimate a year ago. read more >

Holiday sales in the United States increased 3 percent to $626.1 billion in 2015, less than the predicted growth of 3.7 percent, the National Retail Federation reported earlier this month. read more >

Holiday shoppers flocked online during the critical holiday shopping season, but overall sales in November and December were disappointing. read more >

Smart retailers, the kind that survive, will adjust to consumer habits. They will recognize which things people buy online and which things they still want to buy in a store. But, as the NRF pointed out again last week, brick-and-mortar “Main Street” retailers deserve a level playing field. read more >

U.S. retail sales rose modestly in October, evidence that recent job gains and lower gas prices are lifting consumer spending as the holiday shopping season begins. read more >

Holiday sales rose 3.8 percent from last year, a major retail trade organization said Tuesday, spurred by deep clothing discounts and the convenience of shopping online. The figure came in just shy of the group's forecast of a 3.9 percent increase. read more >

The New York Times talks to business executives and association directors about their frustration with the right wing of the Republican party. read more >

The Senate sided with traditional retailers and financially strapped state and local governments Monday by passing a bill that would widely subject online shopping — for many a largely tax-free frontier — to state sales taxes. read more >

Holiday sales rose 3 percent, a major retail trade organization said Tuesday well below its forecast for a 4.1 percent gain. The figures offer the latest evidence that shoppers held back on spending amid economic uncertainty in a season that accounts for as much as 40 percent of stores' annual revenue. read more >