4134 Outlook

A drop in auto sales could be indicating the reluctance of shoppers to make big purchases. Retail sales as a whole were off 0.3 percent last month, but when volatile autos are stripped out, the rate increased 0.2 percent.

Shoppers benefited from lower grocery store bills and higher energy costs which to inflated consumer prices by 0.1 percent.

Claims for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week and reached their lowest level since 1973. They've been at low levels for a year, which indicates the job market is healthy and employers aren't letting go of workers.

And the crude oil rig count hit its lowest level in nearly 7 years this week. The price per barrel slid ahead of a weekend meeting between ministers of major oil-producing countries.