Picking Up Steam

(1) Business sales growing at slow pace in current dollars, at faster pace adjusted for inflation. (2) Retail sales surprisingly strong during Q4. (3) Q4 GDP now looking to be up 3%-4%. (4) Fed should give less weight to December’s weak jobs report, but hold off next tapering step ‘til March. (5) Small business survey confirms improving labor market. (6) Small business owners have more capital-spending plans. (7) NFIB survey shows that Big Government is the #1 problem. (8) Focus on market-weight-rated S&P 500 Retailers.