Retail sales eke out gains in January despite higher taxes

Written by Don Lee, Published on Los Angeles Times

With higher payroll taxes starting to kick in, retail sales rose in January at their smallest rate in three months. Consumers pulled back a bit on their purchases of cars, clothes and home furnishings, the government said Wednesday.

Stocks Waver; S&P Hits Highest Level Since Nov. 2007

Written by JeeYeon Park, Published on CNBC

Stocks struggled around the flatline Wednesday, a day after the Dow and S&P 500 gained to finish at fresh five-year highs, as investors digested a batch of economic and earnings reports.

Yen resumes slump as G7 concerns subside ahead of G20 meeting

Written by Julie Haviv, Published on Reuters

The yen dropped against the dollar and euro in volatile trade on Wednesday, returning to its months-long trajectory, as remarks from Russia’s deputy finance minister gave investors the green light to start selling the Japanese currency again.

Bank of England’s Moving Target

Written by SIMON NIXON, Published on WSJ

The U.K. has already buried its debt target. On Wednesday, Bank of England Governor Mervyn King performed the last rites on its inflation target—at least as it has been widely understood.

Groupon Surges on Expected E-Commerce Expansion

Written by Lisa Rapaport, Published on Bloomberg

Groupon Inc. surged the most in two months amid optimism that its new e-commerce service may expand to more cities, bolstering sales.