- The shaky condition of U.S. retail will be put to the test this weekend, when stores across the country roll out their Black Friday specials.
- About 135.8M Americans are expected to shop in stores or online over the four-day weekend, according to the National Retail Federation, but the amount they've spent has declined over the past two years, dropping 11% to $50.9B in 2014.
- The forecast for frugal shopping also got a boost on Wednesday, when Commerce Department figures showed household spending rose less than expected in October.
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