For the past few weeks, I have been talking about the need for improving consumer spending trends. Last week, weekly chain store sales compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers notched its sixth straight week of sequential improvement. In addition, retail same-store sales trends are coming in above expectations (with the exception of teen retailers).

Retailers are now up against some very depressed comparables from a year ago, but it was still nice to the see a positive sign on the year-over-year data for the first time in months. Also of note, two high-end retailers, Saks SKS and Nordstrom JWN, managed to finally show positive comparisons, joining the ranks of discount retailers such as T.J. Maxx TJX, and Ross Stores ROST, which have been showing better comparisons for some time.   More 

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This chart looks scary: Consumer debt relative to GDP has more than tripled since the 1950s and doubled since the 1980s. This data fuels the notion that the American families have been spending beyond their means and are in for a heap of trouble should the economy continue to falter. It also misses the point.   More 

A recent article in Barron's, "Boomer Consumer," about companies mistakenly ignoring consumers who are older than 50, got me thinking--first, about my own clientele and their particular situations, and second, about a key point that rang true: "The recession has left the typical 18- to 49-year-old far less flush than the average 50-plus consumer."

My youngest client is 29 years old, the oldest is 70, and the average age is 48. The primary reason my younger clients hire me is to help them with debt management, cash flow, and budgeting. While my boomer clients definitely have felt the pain of dropping portfolio and home values, most invested before the bubble years and hold less overpriced assets. My boomer clients are concerned about retirement, but the younger generation is challenged with making ends meet every month and is disproportionately saddled with debt.    More 

The recent economic news has been mixed, but for consumers there is some good news.

Food prices have been a thorn in consumers' side since last year. Farm commodities were up sharply in 2008, boosting food prices. Then even as commodity prices fell, consumer prices at stores remained stubbornly high as many consumer goods companies resisted price decreases that could be perceived as damaging their brand images.

Our consumer team of equity analysts recently have seen several instances of packaged companies offering consumers discounts in ways that will avoid damaging brands and pricing strategies longer term.   More 

I presented a rosy picture of the economy in my post on Tuesday, arguing that the recession is essentially over. But there are still plenty of things that are keeping me awake at night.

The most obvious worries continue to be commercial real estate and associated loans. A new wave of residential foreclosures, primarily on a fancy type of mortgage known as option arms, also looms on the horizon. Some of the resets on these loans, however, could be a little less onerous than expected, as short-term interest rates are actually below where they were when many of these loans were made. Additionally, some of these homes may already have been foreclosed on, sold, or had the keys returned.

Of greater concern is that corporations are continuing to press their advantage on both consumers and employees just a little too hard.   More