The markets had a rough week as most investors were focused on fiscal cliff worries and talks that began on Friday. Despite a slightly positive end, in general the major indices slipped. The Nasdaq Composite ended 1.8% lower, the S&P 500 dropped 1.5% and Dow industrials finished 1.8% below one week ago. Also on many peoples' minds was the housing market and the Fed's plan to get past tight lending issues. Chairman Bernanke confirmed that the central bank is working on policies that will help the market recover.
Retail earnings and sales were trending this week as many companies gear up for "Black Friday" after Thanksgiving.
This holiday season, the biggest discount chains in the U.S. will tell the tale of two very different shoppers: those that have and those that have not.
US Markets Finish With Weekly Losses on Fiscal Cliff Concerns. InvestorGuide.com. WebFinance, Inc. http://www.investorguide.com/article/11316/us-markets-finish-with-weekly-losses-on-fiscal-cliff-concerns/ (access:April 25, 2019).