News

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association said Thursday that the Federal Reserve’s proposed rule on swipe reform is a step in the right direction.

“Although Federal Reserve’s proposal is not entirely conclusive, it does validate the long-held claims of merchants and consumers that the electronic payments market is broken and needs to be fixed,” said Katherine Lugar, RILA executive VP for public affairs.

Teradata, the data warehousing and enterprise analytics leader, has a new deal with Walmart to help the retailer store, manipulate and analyze the expanding volume of information that results from selling more than $400 billion worth of goods annually.

NEW YORK - The Deloitte Spending Index, comprising four components -- tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices -- fell to 4.29%, from an upwardly revised gain of 4.71% a month ago. According to Deloitte the decline was primarily due to sustained weakness in the housing market despite incremental gains in other areas.  

Chicago -- A better-than-expected retail performance in November should positively impact the holiday shopping season, according to ShopperTrak, prompting the company to revise its holiday season forecast upward.

Dayton, Ohio -- Data warehousing and analytics company Teradata Corp. said Wednesday it has broadened its partnership with Walmart.

The agreement includes an upgrade and expansion of Walmart's data warehouse environment to provide next-generation capabilities. Taradata said its technology will offer an expected 50% reduction in floor space required and a 40% reduction in energy consumption.

Washington, D.C. -- The Labor Department reported Wednesday that the consumer-price index increased 0.1% in November after a 0.2% rise the prior month. The rise was less than forecast, indicating higher prices for commodities such as fuel aren’t filtering through into other goods and services.

The median estimate of economists in a Bloomberg News survey called for a gain of 0.2%. The so-called core measure, which excludes more volatile food and energy costs, also rose 0.1%, matching the median forecast.

According to a new survey from customer intelligence firm, Market Force Information, The Children's Place is consumers' top pick for young children's (10 and younger) apparel when the votes are indexed for the number of stores. The Children's Place earned 17% of the votes, while Gymboree ranked second (13%), and Kohl's and Carter's tied for third with 12%. For children 11 and older, Aeropostale was ranked favorite retailer with 17% of the votes, followed closely by Kohl's (16%) and then Old Navy (10%).

GLENDALE, Calif., and AMSTERDAM, N.Y. — Beech-Nut and Disney Consumer Products have teamed up to unite nutritious foods with characters that toddlers love.

Beech-Nut's new line of products feature Winnie the Pooh characters, including the namesake bear and his pals Piglet and Tigger.

The Beech-Nut toddler food is fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains valuable nutrients, fiber, whole grains, real fruit, real yogurt, real vegetables and protein. The line features meals, sides, snacks and juices including: