Retail sales dipped 0.4% in February after a surprise start-of-the-year surge that appeared at odds with the Federal Reserve's goal of cooling down the economy.

Retailers have dropped a flurry of financial reports. They paint a messy and conflicting picture about our consumer economy.

Americans began the new year with a spending spree, but businesses are not sure how long it can last. There's a lot riding on the answer, since consumer spending is the backbone of the U.S. economy.

Inside our shopping cart is a story of global trade, extreme weather, shrinking packages and rising prices.

Boy, have we talked a lot about inflation. It affected every part of our lives (and the economy) in 2022. Here are some of its highest highs and lowest lows. (It wasn't all bad news!)

Thursday's GDP report shows the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.6% in July, August and September, after shrinking in the first half of the year.

Rising inflation has meant fewer restaurant meals, getaways and even doctor visits for many Americans, as nearly 4 in 10 say their family finances have gotten worse in the last year.

Here's what we learned from a hectic spate of financial report cards shared by top U.S. retailers.

U.S. GDP growth likely slowed sharply in the first few months of the year, but the economy may be sturdier than it looks.

U.S. GDP growth likely slowed sharply in the first few months of the year, but the economy may be sturdier than it looks.

Annual inflation climbed to a new four-decade high in February, with consumer prices up 7.9% from a year ago. The increase does not reflect most of the recent jump in gasoline prices.

Wednesday on Political Rewind: We all know that the pandemic has had a profound impact on our buying habits — from how we shop for groceries to the services we use to stream new movies at home; from the sticker shock that awaits us as we shop for a new (or even used) car to the soaring price of houses.

The travel industry is only now coming back to life. But can you feel safe booking a cruise? Flights are full again, but do you want to fly on an airplane with every seat filled?

Newly vaccinated Americans are spending more freely on restaurants, travel and live entertainment. That should give a boost to pandemic-scarred service industries.

Personal income jumped by a record 21% last month, largely thanks to those $1,400 relief payments. The extra cash helped fuel a jump in spending that should continue in the months to come.

The U.S. economy grew at a rapid pace in the first three months of the year as more people got vaccinated and the federal government pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into people's pockets.