Black Friday Crowds Heavy, Retailers Cautiously Optimistic

Retail stores across the U.S. have been inundated with bargain-hunting customers in the early hours of Friday, according to a variety of news reports. The reports said that the crowds were heavier and customers were spending more then they were on Black Friday of last year, providing cautiously optimistic anecdotal evidence that the U.S. was slowly climbing out of its economic slump.
However, other merchants say that sales since Halloween have been sluggish. Additionally, many analysts believe this year’s holiday shopping season will not be significantly more lucrative for retailers than last year’s.