Budgets/Spending/Market Size

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday said that consumer confidence in the U.S. was little changed for a second week, holding at a level typically reached during past recessions.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index was at minus 50.3 in the period ended Dec. 4, after a reading of minus 50.2 the prior week. The gauge has been at minus 50 or worse for 11 of the past 12 weeks.

Chicago -- With the holiday season in full swing, Mintel, a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence, has looked into its market intelligence to find out just what U.S. consumers do to make their holidays special.

Here are 10 interesting insights:
 
• Some 13% of U.S. consumers think a cell phone is a good gift for children aged 6-11, up from just 4% earlier this year.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended Nov. 20 rose 2.6% to $320 million, from $312 million a year earlier. The wholesale club operator attributed the lackluster performance, which missed Wall Street expectations, to higher costs, which offset increased revenue.

Costco's revenue rose to $21.18 billion, missing analysts’ predicted $21.29 billion in revenue.

Same-store sales rose 10%; excluding gas prices and strengthening foreign currencies, the figure rose 7%.

Beaumont, Texas -- Conn’s Inc. reported Thursday that losses in the third quarter widened to $12.7 million from $4.8 million a year ago.

Sales rose 5% to $179.5 million.

The electronics retailer also announced that it made Theodore M. Wright its permanent president and CEO. He had been the company’s interim president and CEO since February 2011.

Mooresville, N.C. — At its annual conference in Mooresville, N.C., held Tuesday, Lowe's executives are prepared to talk growth and the transformation from retailer to a "home improvement company."

New York City -- The Conference Board Employment Trends Index increased in November to 103.7, up from the revised figure of 102.42 in October. The November figure is up 6.4% from the same month a year ago.

Cherry Hill, N.J. -- Middle market CFOs, buoyed by increasing optimism fueled by sales growth, are prepared to increase capital expenditures by dipping into their stockpile of cash reserves, according to a survey by TD Bank. The top three areas of expected capital deployment include technology (40%), improvements to existing facilities (17%), construction of new facilities (12%),

RESTON, Va. — Online retail spending has seen a big jump this holiday season to date, according to a new report from ComScore.

According to the research firm, retail e-commerce spending for the first 32 days of the November-December 2011 holiday season saw a 15% spike to $18.7 billion, compared with the corresponding days last year. The overall spending was driven by billion-dollar spending days, including Cyber Monday, Nov. 28 ($1.25 billion), followed by Nov. 29 ($1.12 billion) and Nov. 30 ($1.03 billion).

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Shoppers who were out in full force on Black Friday may not walk retail aisles again until just before Christmas — when retailers are expected to heavily discount merchandise — according to the latest America's Research Group/UBS "Christmas Forecast."

Reston, Va. -- Retail e-commerce spending for the first 32 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season totaled $18.7 billion, a 15% increase versus the corresponding days last year, according to comScore.