• US Business Confidence
• U.S. business confidence fell to a new record low at the start of 2008 and is consistent with recession. Sentiment is stronger elsewhere across the globe, particularly in Asia, although it is down everywhere since the subprime financial shock began this past summer. Expectations regarding the first half of 2008 are especially bleak, plunging to another new low last week. Businesses have also become notably cautious with respect to their inventories and office space needs. Hiring and fixed investment are soft, but holding up better. Pricing pressures have risen with oil prices near $100 per barrel, but remain very subdued compared to the pressures that prevailed during previous oil price spurts.

• Consumer Credit (G19)
• Consumer credit increased in November by $15.5 billion to $2.505 trillion. The details of the report showed that demand for both revolving and non-revolving credit increased over the month. The sharp increase in consumer credit is not surprising as consumers' ability and willingness to extract equity from their homes are waning, and thus they will have to increasingly turn to other forms of credit to finance consumption.

• Pending Home Sales
• The pending home sales index declined by 19.2% in November on a year-ago basis. At 87.6, the index was down by 2.6% from October. October's index was revised upward to 89.9 from 86.7. The index's large fall from a year ago suggests that home sales will slow further over the next several months in light of continued weakness in the nation's housing market.

• Chain Store Sales
• Chain store sales increased 0.4% in the week ending January 5 and year-over-year growth fell to 1.9%, as comparisons were again difficult. Despite the weak figures, the ICSC reported aggressive gift card redemption in the week after Christmas.

Source: Economy.com 2007

• Anna's Linens > Anna's Linens operates 246 locations throughout AL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MI, MS, NC, NM, NV, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, WI and Washington, DC.
• The stores, selling bedding, sheets, comforters, towels, pillows and other bedroom and bathroom accessories, occupy spaces of 7,000 sq.ft. to 10,000 sq.ft. in power and strip centers.
• Plans call for 100 openings throughout the existing markets during the coming 18 months. Preferred cotenants include Wal*Mart and Target as well as grocery, soft goods and discount stores.
• Typical leases run five years with options.
• Preferred demographics include a trade-area population of 150,000 earning an average household income of $65,000.
• For more information, contact
  • Patrick Barber,
  • Anna's Linens,
  • 3550 Hyland Avenue,
  • Costa Mesa, CA 92626;
  • 714-460-2802,
  • Fax 714- 460-1750;
  • Email: pat@annaslinens.com;
  • Web site: www.annaslinens.com.