JPMorgan Chase appears close to closing the deal to acquire Bear Stearns. The arrangement, just 2 days after Bear Stearns stock price dropped 46% in a single trading session, would value the teetering financial services company at about $236 million ($2 per share). The closing price on Bear Stearns stock was $30.85 on [...]

It’s odd how Retail Sales could have the nerve to be up when everyone knows it should be down.  How does it do that?
Simple, really, higher prices where demand is not going to retreat quickly.  Gasoline.  And the stuff that uses it.
The problem is that the only really meaningful measure of Retail Sales (year-to-year) is [...]