US RETAIL sales increased 0.3 per cent in January year on year, according to Commerce Department statistics.
  Excluding auto, gasoline and building materials, sales increased 0.7 per cent after falling 0.4 per cent in December.
  According to the National Federation of Independent Business report, confidence among small US business owners hit a four-year high in January.
  Said John-Thomas Financial analyst Wayne Kaufman: "I don't think there's anything here that really brings into question the fact that the economy has been improving."

(source:shipping online)