Clothing and footwear prices to U.K. consumers rose year-on-year in September for the first time since March 1992, hitting a two-year high in absolute terms, say the official data.

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The proportion of private industry employees participating in 401(k)-style defined contribution plans rose from 36% in 1999 to 43% in 2008, according to Investment Company Institute data.

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In the U.K., which accounts for about 20 percent of total group sales, same-store sales rose by 1.8 percent for the period.

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For one, enrollment is on the rise for grades K-12: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools rose an estimated 26 percent between 1985 and 2007.

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The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index rose 0.5% to 5337.00, France's CAC-40 index ended up 0.5% at 3026.76 and Germany's DAX added 1% to 5799.91.

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