Market Reflections 9/15/2009

Retail sales were expected to be strong -- and that's what they proved to be showing wide strength in August outside of cash for clunkers. But whether this strength will continue is uncertain given continuing losses in the jobs market. Producer prices showed a big jump but one related to month-to-month swings in oil. Equities got only a mild lift from the retail sales results with the S&P 500 up 0.3 percent to 1,052. Commodities firmed with oil regaining $2 to $71 and gold digging in above $1,000, ending at $1,008. The dollar index dipped 0.2 percent to 76.50.