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Holiday shopping unlikely to cheer many investors
The holiday shopping rush that kicked off on Friday is unlikely to bring much cheer to investors looking for a revival in retail stocks. After months of uninspiring sales growth and recent disappointments from Macy's (M.N) and Nordstrom (JWN.N), shareholders of apparel sellers have had little to be thankful for and face a challenging holiday season. Those stocks have reflected a shift by consumers away from discretionary items like designer-label clothes and cosmetics toward smartphones, televisions, home goods and travel, as well as an ongoing migration to online spending. Early indications suggested this year's ... (full story)