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Sales of existing homes fell to an eight-month low in November, leaving the highest inventory of homes on the market in 20 years, according to the National Association of Realtors, a trade association. New home sales also are slackening, falling 11 percent in November for the biggest decline in 11 years. As a result, the demand for mortgages dropped to the lowest in almost four years in the last week of December. (Source Bloomberg January 9, 2006

Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes fell 2.5 percent in November, a third straight decline, the National Association of Realtors said January 5, 2006.

The number of mortgage applications last week fell to the lowest level since May 2002, according to a report Januar 4, 2006 from the Mortgage Bankers Association. (Source Bloomberg January 5, 2006)

Sears domestic comparable store sales declined by 11.9% nine-week period ended December 31, 2005 (source MSN Money January 5, 2006)

Wal-Mart's estimated December same-store sales increase of 2.2 per cent (Source CBC News January 3, 2006)

Planned U.S. layoffs jumped 8.6 percent in December, pushing the 2005 annual total of job cuts 3.1 percent higher than in 2004.

The increases were due in large part to big increases in job cuts within the government, non-profit and automotive sectors, said Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., an employment consulting firm.

(Source Reuters January 5,2006)

People are going to lifestyle centers for one or two specific retailers, and that's it," said Patrice Duker with The International Council of Shopping Centers. "They're getting what they need, and they're leaving. " (Source The Columbus Dispatch January 4, 2006)

In 1979, Moody's gave 61 companies its highest AAA rating. Ten years ago, that number was 21. Three years ago, it was nine. The latest casualties were Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2002, Merck in November and AIG last week. (Source San Francisco Gate April 7, 2005)

More than half of the steel buyers polled by the Institute of Supply Management in the fourth quarter expressed concern about supply of steel flat-rolled, plate and bar products through mid-2006. Also cited in Purchasing magazine surveys are aluminum plate, extrusions and wire products; copper mill products of all types; and every conceivable shape of titanium (Purchasing.com January 12, 2006).

November sales of previously owned homes fell an annual 11.2 percent in California (Source RIS Media Dec 28 2005)