U.S. stocks declined moderately on Monday as weak data on holiday retail sales prompted questions about the consumer's ability to spend.
American consumers may finally be waking up to their new penury.
This rally has been spurred by overly optimistic investors (easily led along by Wall Street hype) and Fed liquidity pumping. Here's hoping that the Fed's desire to drain liquidity is more than just lip service. Goading investors into risky assets has been deliberate policy up for most of this year.