Retail Purchases in U.S. Unexpectedly Decrease 0.5%

Retail sales in the U.S. unexpectedly fell for a third month in June as limited employment gains took a toll on consumers.The 0.5 percent drop followed a 0.2 percent decrease in May, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington.

QE3 May Be Preferred Over Fed’s QE2 for Asia Economies Facing Export Slump

U.S. monetary stimulus, blamed in 2010 for spurring speculative capital flows to emerging markets, may find less opposition this time round in Asia as the region’s focus shifts to supporting economic growth.