However, I believe there are encouraging pockets of strength to energize and inspire investors.

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The takeaway from this mishmash of data, other than employment is not the only macroeconomic indicator one must watch: appreciate those pockets of strength not only company to company, but within companies as well.

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For the rest of the retail segments, the jury is pretty much still out, although the pockets of strength in some of the high-end retailers has helped turn around some of the post-election doldrums they were showing.

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