Research
June 2, 2011
By Rachel Lamb

Consumers’ short-term outlook on business, the economy and gas prices have led to a purchasing slump and pessimistic outlook in May, but this may not apply to luxury consumers.
{"ct":"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","iv":"c775b6c4c832058d6d2a52ff51b4cbfd","s":"5feb3666f30d8f57"}
Share your thoughts. Click here