Income gains in the U.S. are slowing and workers’ slice of the earnings pie is shrinking, raising the risk that consumer spending slackens next year

Amid not-so-low prices, hordes of mostly youthful shoppers stuffed carts with items they frequently couldn’t pay for in a ritual that meant little (unless you got pepper sprayed)

Amanda Rottmueller, a 20-year-old nursing student, shopped on Black Friday for the first time, drawn by nighttime openings and the chance to treat herself.

Some economists believe that today’s grinding unemployment and slow growth are masking the transition to a vibrant digital economy

Chinese industrial companies’ profit growth cooled, adding to signs of a slowdown in the world’s second-biggest economy that may encourage Premier Wen Jiabao to ease policies.

Tougher budget rules are necessary for euro-member countries if they are to get more help from the European Central Bank in stemming the European sovereign debt crisis, French Budget Minister Valerie Pecresse said.

The pace of hiring in November probably failed to reduce unemployment in the U.S., showing employers remain concerned growth will slow, economists said before reports this week.

Belgium’s political factions reached a deal to reduce the leaderless country’s budget deficit, bringing it closer to forming a government after 531 days of post-election brinksmanship.