Buenos Aires, Argentina Is the rally still on? We’re not sure. Wednesday, the Dow fell 83 points…after a weak bounce on Tuesday. We expected the rally to last until June and to take the Dow back to the 10,000 range. But anything could happen.

Retail sales and inflation took a step backward in March, as dour consumer demand hurt the former and suppressed energy prices stalled the latter.

Retail sales and inflation took a step backward in March, as dour consumer demand hurt the former and suppressed energy prices stalled the latter.

The world is changing. The American consumer has been the backbone of the global economy for the last quarter of a century. But the credit crisis is ushering in a new era of thrift. Is this the end of the world as we know it? Yes, says Justice Litle, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing…

Stop blaming the unions for Detroit’s shortcomings, says Lynn Carpenter. Of course, jobs have to be cut in a recession. But this is not the silver bullet for businesses. And every job lost is a consumer lost, which is a big deal in a consumer economy. Lynn says we have no hope of an economic recovery until spiraling unemployment is brought under control.

EDF Scooping Constellation; Research in Motion Posts Tough 3Q; Legg Mason’s Miller Calls Market Bottom; Cyber Monday Sales Strong; Crude Stocks Drop; New Zealand Fights Recession

Money Map Report editor Horacio Marquez says Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) is a bargain at today’s prices. The company continues to grow and diversify, and will keep gaining market share for its products. However, a consumption slowdown and tough competition means caution is essential when building up a position.

Financial news as dense as a Russian novel…consumers may be in bigger trouble than we anticipated. The subprime crisis – worse than feared?…the glory days of 2006 are long-gone. One in four houses sold in America today is sold at a loss…foreclosures continue to soar…the persistence of string beans…and more!