Japan Retail Sales October 2007, the Employment Outlook and the Topix Bear Market

Japan's retail sales rose at the fastest pace in more than a year in October as consumers bought new-model cars and record gas prices increased revenue at filling stations. Sales climbed 0.8 percent in October from a year earlier, and this constituted the third monthly gain, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Tokyo this morning. Well, that's the headline news, and here's