U.S. RETAILERS GOT WHAT THEY WANTED FOR Christmas this year. After several holiday shopping seasons that ranged from dismal to desperate, the final tally for 1992 gave merchants and economists that rosy glow: helped by an obliging calendar that provided two extra shopping days this year, consumers converged on cash registers across the country to spread holiday cheer.
The Johnson Redbook Service's Retail Indicators recorded a leap of 10.4% in department-, discount- and chain-store sales over last year. The source of the spree became clearer with the release of the New York-based Conference Board's consumer confidence index for December. It showed...