Some of the latest headlines.

On January 10th, the upscale department store Nordstrom reported that December sales fell at least 4% from last year, compared with an 8.7% increase in November. Saks also reported that its same-store sales were up a mere 0.8%, compared with a 25.7% increase in the previous month. Neiman Marcus reported a 2.9% sales increase, vs. 5.8% in November and 8.5% in October.

The weak performance of luxury retailers reinforces what many experts have been saying about the well-off. Consumers are nervous. The value of their stock portfolios have dropped and they're worried about their home values.

Also in the news,
Oil prices have climbed as forecasts for blustery weather nationwide raised expectations that demand for energy will surge in the coming days.
Toyota has marked booming sales lately on the popularity of models reputed for good mileage, such as the Camry sedan and the Prius gas-electric hybrid, at a time when soaring gas prices have dramatically boosted their appeal.
Survey: Average gas price rises to $3.07. The national average price for gasoline rose nearly 10 cents over the last three weeks.