US economy shrank at annual pace of 0.2% in first quarter

The US economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.2% in the first quarter of the year after being hit by bad weather, spending cuts among energy firms and the strong dollar.

U.S. retail sales pause, seen rebounding in months ahead

(Reuters) - U.S. retail sales unexpectedly stalled in July, pointing to some loss of momentum in the economy early in the third quarter.

UK retailers say sales rose in July, driven by furniture

(Reuters) - British retail sales growth rose in July, driven by an upturn in furniture spending and other non-food purchases, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on Tuesday.

UK retail sales fall despite World Cup boost to sports shops

UK retail sales fell for the first time since January last month despite World Cup fever which drove higher sales of football shirts.

Revised US GDP figures show shrinking economy over harsh winter

The US economy contracted for the first time in three years in early 2014 after a much worse performance than originally feared.

UK retail sales slow in February after bumper January: BRC

(Reuters) - British retail sales slowed markedly in February after a robust January as food sales stagnated, an industry survey showed on Tuesday.

Worst over for stocks? Depends on earnings

Thanks to a strong rally last week, the S&P 500 is now down only slightly for the year while the Nasdaq is up nearly 2%.

US wholesale inventories rise in November, sales up

WASHINGTON: US wholesale inventories rose a bit more than expected in November, suggesting that restocking would probably contribute to economic growth in the fourth quarter.

U.S. factory, jobs data show underlying strength in economy

(Reuters) - U.S. factory activity held near a 2-1/2-year high in December and the number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell again last week, suggesting the economy was poised for stronger growth in 2014.

NIESR: UK interest rates could rise in 2015

The Bank of England could raise interest rates as soon as 2015, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) has said.

Russia Cuts Budget to Try to Spur Growth

MOSCOW — The Russian government on Thursday approved across-the-board budget cuts over the next two years in the clearest sign yet that officials do not expect its economy, the world’s eighth-largest, to revive soon, and that the Kremlin is ready to try a new policy to spur growth.

US consumer spending up weak 0.1% in July

WASHINGTON: US consumers barely increased their spending in July after their income grew more slowly, held back by steep government spending cuts that reduced federal workers' salaries.

US retail sales beat expectations as automobiles surge

WASHINGTON: US retail sales rose more than expected in May as households stepped up purchases of automobiles and bought other goods, suggesting the economy was squeezing out of a recent soft patch.

US retail sales edge up 0.1 percent in April

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans increased their spending in April at retail businesses, buying more cars and clothes after cutting purchases sharply in March.

Pakistan Stocks Best as Violence Ignored: Riskless Return

Pakistan is handing equity investors the world’s best risk-adjusted returns as terrorist attacks, power blackouts and a war with Taliban insurgents fail to curb gains in consumer spending that sent profits to a record high.

Pricey gasoline hits U.S. consumers, weighs on growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. households stretched to pay for costlier gasoline on meager income growth in August, undercutting spending on other items and pointing to lackluster economic growth.

Britain isn’t in recession, it’s just not growing, says Bank rate-setter

Britain is not in recession but rather in a persistent period of zero growth, one of the Bank of England’s rate-setters has said.

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.

Abu Dhabi's Invest AD bets big on Africa

DUBAI (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi-owned fund Invest AD is betting on its range of investment products to tap growth opportunities in fast-growing Africa, a continent which the state-owned investment firm believes is still undervalued for its potential.

S. Korean Confidence Falls After Death of Kim Jong Il: Economy

Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- South Korean consumer confidence fell to a three-month low in December, as concern the political outlook in the North will worsen in the wake of Kim Jong Il’s death compounds the risk from Europe’s debt crisis.