Signals Retail sales weak, jobless claims up last week

Signals Retail sales weak, jobless claims up last week WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retail sales rose at the weakest pace in seven months in December and first-time claims for jobless benefits moved higher last week, signs the economic recovery remains shaky despite a pick-up in growth. Total retail sales increased 0.1 percent after rising by an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in November, the Commerce Department said on Thursday. 'The retail sales (data) suggests that spending isn't really picking up any momentum,' said Sean Incremona, economist at 4Cast Ltd in New York. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales climbing 0.3 percent last month. In a separate report, the Labor Department said initial unemployment claims jumped to 399,000 in the first week of 2012, the highest in six weeks. The unemployment rate has fallen sharply in recent months and was 8.5 percent December, putting the economy on better footing as the euro zone grapples with an economic downturn. But some analysts worry the drop in unemployment has been due in part to discouraged workers dropping out of the labor force. 'The jobless claims are certainly not going in the right direction, said Joe Saluzzi, co-head of equity trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey. Stocks fell after the data's release, also hurt by a profit warning from energy major Chevron. U.S. Treasury prices were mostly flat. Another report showed business inventories rose 0.3 percent in November, reinforcing the view that fourth-quarter economic growth could get a boost as companies restock their shelves. Some Federal Reserve officials earlier this week signaled more help for the U.S. economy may be necessary despite recent data that suggested the recovery was picking up steam going into 2012. Many economists see the economy growing by at least a 3 percent annual rate during the last quarter of 2011 after growing 1.8 percent during the July-September period. Growth, however, is expected to slow during the first three months of this year. A report from real estate data firm RealtyTrac showed foreclosure activity slowed last year following claims in 2010 that lenders had relied on 'robo-signing' where documents were signed without a review of the case files. A wave of foreclosures has kept downward pressure on home prices, and economists say the market might need to clear before it can mount a convincing recovery and provide a significant boost to the overall economy. The central bank has tried to boost the sector by lowering interest rates and buying mortgage securities, which helped bring the average rate on 30-year fixed rate mortgages down to a record low this week. The U.S. central bank is not expected to take any action at its next meeting on January 24-25. Within the retail report, the upward revision for November sales suggests consumers frontloaded their holiday shopping as retailers discounted heavily and extended store hours in the days following Thanksgiving. By the end of the season, however, consumers cut back, with spending at electronics and appliance stores down 3.9 percent in December. Shopping at department stores slipped 0.2 percent, while receipts at gasoline stations dropped 1.6 percent. The government had initially estimated retail sales gained 0.2 percent in November. Fueling the overall increase in retail sales during December, receipts for motor vehicles and parts increased 1.5 percent. Excluding autos, retail sales fell 0.2 percent, the first decline since May 2010. Core retail sales, which exclude autos, gasoline and building materials, dropped 0.1 percent in December after advancing 0.3 percent the prior month. Core sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of the government's gross domestic product report. (Additional reporting by Pedro Nicolaci da Costa in Washington and by Chris Reese and Angela Moon in New York; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Oil Exxon to sell part of Tonen stake for about $3.9 billion:sources

Oil Exxon to sell part of Tonen stake for about $3.9 billion:sources RELATED QUOTES Symbol Price Change TRI 27.82 -0.10 XOM 85.83 -0.94 By Taro Fuse and Emi Emoto TOKYO (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM - News) plans to sell a large part of its 50 percent stake in TonenGeneral Sekiyu KK (:5012.T) back to its Japanese refining partner in a deal that could be worth about 300 billion yen ($3.9 billion), and will make an announcement as early as Monday, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Exxon Mobil will retain about a 20 percent stake in TonenGeneral but the deal will mark a de facto retreat from the world's third-largest economy by the U.S. oil giant, which is focusing its resources on emerging markets and development of natural resources. The move could also spark realignment among Japan's oil refiners, which have been cutting capacity to cope with falling demand caused by a weak economy and a shift to more efficient and environmentally friendly forms of energy, analysts have said. Reuters reported earlier this month that Exxon was in talks to sell part of the stake back to TonenGeneral. TonenGeneral, which imports and distributes Exxon oil in Japan, ranks as the country's No. 2 refiner behind JX Holdings (:5020.T). Smaller rivals include Idemitsu Kosan Co (:5019.T), Cosmo Oil (:5007.T) and Showa Shell (:5002.T). Exxon and TonenGeneral aim to complete the deal around summer, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity. TonenGeneral will seek funds from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Sumitomo Trust Banking, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ and Mitsubishi Trust Bank to buy back the stake, the sources said. ($1 = 76.7350 Japanese yen) (Reporting by Taro Fuse and Emoto Emi; Writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chris Gallagher and Ed Lane)

Earn Retail sales: Shoppers pulled back at the holidays

Earn Retail sales: Shoppers pulled back at the holidays CNNMoney.comBy Chris Isidore | CNNMoney.com Consumers pulled back on their spending in December despite the holiday shopping season, according to a government report released Thursday. The Commerce Department report showed that overall retail sales rose only 0.1% compared to November -- falling short of forecasts of economists surveyed by Briefing.com, who were expecting a 0.4% rise. Excluding auto sales, which were relatively strong in the month, sales fell 0.2%; compared to forecasts of a 0.3% rise. Part of the reduced spending came from lower prices. Lower gasoline prices trimmed spending at gas stations by 1.6% compared to November. And spending at grocery stores also declined 0.2% in the same period amid reports of some lower food prices. Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist for Capital Economics, said it was somewhat positive that lower prices allowed non-discretionary spending to decline 0.6%, at the same time that discretionary spending rose 0.4%. 'It appears they're saving money when they go to fill up their cars, and spending it on something more enjoyable,' he said. But there were also declines in some retail categories that typically get a lift from holiday shoppers. The biggest was a 3.9% drop at electronic and appliance stores. Department store sales also fell 0.2%, leading to a 0.8% drop in general merchandise stores. Non-store retailers, typically online retailers, suffered a 0.4% drop. Mark Vitner, senior economist with Wells Fargo Securities, said his firm's measure of 'core' sales -- which excludes autos, gas stations and building materials -- posted the first monthly decline in a year. These excluded sectors are heavily influenced by volatile prices or by the business cycle. 'The decline here gets our attention,' he said. 'We do not think the consumer is completely going into hiding, but we do think that the pace of consumer spending growth is poised to slow.' Economists said that with other economic readings showing that stagnant wages were not keeping up with prices overall, and rising credit card balances, there's a limit in how much consumers will be able to spend -- even as a declining savings rate suggested that consumers were more willing to dip into savings. 'Households have realized that the savings only go so far,' said Dales. Disappointing December spending left overall sales up 6.5%, compared to 6% a year earlier which excludes auto sales. Bucking the trend were clothing retailers, which enjoyed a 0.7% rise in spending; and a 1.6% rise at building material and garden equipment retailers, which Dales said may have been helped by unusually mild weather. View this article on CNNMoney

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Oil All eyes on Fed

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It is Fed interest rate and policy decision day , so nothing much will happen till that time. Market has been anticipating Fed response to slowdown in economy.

Sometime the first reaction to the Fed is a fake out. As most would have seen there are number of studies that show Fed day to be positive day.