Check out the retail earnings.

Wal-Mart has been struggling to grow same-store sales, but it still posted a larger-than-expected 8 percent rise in quarterly profit.
 
Tighter expense controls and efforts to draw holiday shoppers in earlier than ever before helped lift profits for the world’s largest retailer.

Still, fourth-quarter same-store sales are expected to be sluggish, with Wal-Mart forecasting flat to up 2 percent.

Home Depot, meanwhile, is still suffering form the U.S. housing slump, posting a 27 percent drop in third-quarter profit.

The home improvement retailer saw sales fall 6.2 percent at stores open at least a year and also said it now expects an 11 percent drop this year in earnings per share from continuing operations.

“The problem HD faces is that they are trying to reinvest in people and infrastructure as macro demand deteriorates,” said Credit Suisse analyst Gary Balter. “The combination can be ugly as their 11 percent (decline) in (operating)  earnings points to.”

Oh, and the company’s $22.5 billion stock repurchase plan? It won’t be completed this year, due to uncertainty in the credit markets and weakness in the housing sector, the company said.
 
Also in the basket: 
 
Fossil profit tops view, boosts full-year outlookConsumer satisfaction dips: survey
 
Holiday gift card sales seen up 6 percent
 
Russian brand eyes U.S. (WWD, subscription required)
 
A health plan for Wal-Mart: less stinginess (NY Times)

(Photo: Reuters)