WASHINGTON — Americans bought more electronics, started more home improvement projects and updated their wardrobes last month, inspired by warmer weather and a healthier job market. Retail sales rose 0.8 percent in March, the Commerce Department said Monday. The gain ...

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NEW YORK — Retailers from discounter Target to department-store chain Macy’s reported better-than-expected sales in March in the latest sign that Americans are feeling better about the economy. A combination of warm weather and high demand for spring fashions boosted ...

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And more power to them. I happened upon this New York Times article over the weekend: How Companies Learn Your Secrets. The gist (it’s about 7,000 words, but it’s a quick read) is that Target hires statisticians to increase revenue. ...

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NEW YORK — Retailers reported mixed sales results for January in a sign that American shoppers are continuing to be cautious about when and where they spend their money in the shaky economy. Of the 12 merchants reporting monthly sales ...

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WASHINGTON — Retail sales barely rose in December, but the gain was enough to lift sales to a record level for 2011. It marked the largest annual increase in more than a decade. Sales inched up 0.1 percent in December ...

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NEW YORK — Many retailers delivered solid sales gains for December, but heavy discounts needed to get shoppers to buy exacted a high price, clouding the holiday shopping season. Merchants had to mark down coats and other gifts to get ...

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NEW YORK — A flurry of post-Christmas bargain shopping helped drive sales higher in the last week of December, according to a report Wednesday from a shopping mall trade group. Increased gift card use, mild weather and a federal holiday ...

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ATLANTA — Are you ready to “Respect the Roll?” Kimberly-Clark is looking to shake up the toilet-paper accessory category with toilet roll covers from designer Jonathan Adler. To boost awareness about a new formulation of its Cottonelle toilet paper that ...

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Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? The “engagement” of two of Baltimore’s beloved icons was the most-read Maryland Business blog post in 2011. Other popular posts included the rebirth of a legendary Baltimore restaurant, new development in Canton and ...

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NEW YORK — The holiday shopping season turned out to be two seasons split by a big lull. A surge in buying in the two weeks before Christmas coupled with a record-breaking Black Friday gave retailers a solid season. The ...

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