Midday Report: U.S. stocks drop on mixed retail sales, Target warning

Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:01:09 (GMT)

U.S. stocks drop on mixed retail sales, Target warning

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks declined in thin trading on Wednesday, as mixed retail
sales, a warning from Target and downbeat housing data soured investors'
mood.

Retail Stocks: Target warning leads a decline in retail shares

NEW YORK
Retail shares declined in the first day of trading post Christmas, led
by Target Corp. after the retailer warned sales might decline in
December.

Economic Report: U.S. home prices drop 6.1% year-over-year, Case-Shiller
finds

Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities were down 6.1% on average in the
past year as of October, according to the Case-Shiller price index
released Wednesday by Standard & Poor's.

Berkshire to pay $4.5 bln for 60% of Marmon, a Pritzker group

Berkshire Hathaway will purchase 60% of Marmon Holdings, an industrial
group owned by trusts benefiting members of the Pritzker family of
Chicago, for $4.5 billion, the companies said on Tuesday.

Toyota could end GM's more than 70-year run as top car maker

HONG KONG
Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday said it set its global sales target for
2008 at 9.85 million vehicles, up 5.2% from the 9.36 million it expects
to sell in 2007.