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NRF urges Washington to fix fiscal cliff before Black Friday
Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation on Wednesday urged President Obama and Congress to come up with a plan to avoid the “fiscal cliff” by Thanksgiving, saying uncertainty over the pending combination of tax hikes and spending cuts threatens consumer confidence during the holiday shopping season that begins on Black Friday.
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Consumers increasingly optimistic about economy
New York -- Experian Marketing Services said Monday that its Consumer Expectation Index shows an increasing optimism about the economy. According to the CEI, U.S. consumers’ forward-looking view of the economy is at its highest level since the onset of the recession. During the first half of 2012, the average CEI figure was 92.7, which is above the index’s average of the first six months for each year dating back to 2008. The 2012 figure measured eight points above those for the first half of 2008 and one point over those for the first half of 2011.