Grim January for most retailers, same-store sales show

Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:01:24 -0500

Grim January for most retailers, same-store sales show

As consumers continue to retrench, retailers' sales results for
January paint hardly a pretty picture of the state of play in the
industry -- so much so that Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer,
has decided to forego monthly sales reports altogether in favor of a
quarterly timetable.

KELLOGG PROFIT RISES 2%, HELPED BY PRICE HIKES

Kellogg's net income sweetens by 2% on a boost in sales helped by
price increases.

BANK OF ENGLAND CUTS, WHILE ECB STANDS PAT

Bank of England continues a campaign of aggressive rate cuts Thursday,
while the European Central Bank leaves its key lending rate unchanged
at 2%.

SWISS RE GETS INJECTION FROM BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, POSTS LOSS

Swiss Re will raise up to 5 billion Swiss francs ($4.3 billion) of fresh
capital, including 3 billion francs from Warren Buffett's investment
firm Berkshire Hathaway, in order to protect its AA credit rating. S&P
warns of a possible downgrade.