Check out a bunch of retail executives talking about the state of the industry, economy and the outlook for holiday shopping.
 
It's the Reuters Consumer and Retail Summit, being held this week in New York, featuring top executives from Borders, Best Buy, Toys "R" Us, Jones Apparel, Perry Ellis and others.
 
The executives meet with Reuters reporters as most retailers are struggling to attract consumers that have been clobbered by $4-a-gallon gasoline, falling home prices, a credit crunch and rising food costs.
 
Sales got a bit of a boost in May as consumers started to spend their tax rebates. But analysts say that bump could be fleeting, with consumers still under pressure after the rebates have been spent.
 
To find out what retailers think, check out the Retail Summit page all week.
 
Also in the basket:
 
InBev cautions Bid about striking Modelo deal
 
Trust chairman sees change, but no sale, at Hershey
 
CostPlus rejects Pier 1 acquisition offer
 
Starbucks says international growth to cushion U.S. weakness
(Photo: Reuters)

VF Corp. already makes Lee jeans, North Face jackets and Nautica sportswear. Now the company is looking for more brands to put in its closet.

Chief Executive Mackey McDonald told the Reuters Consumer and Retail Summit that the company is eyeing more outdoor and sportswear brands that cater to women as it keeps up its acquisition pace.

“We have a lot more resources behind our acquisition strategy today,” McDonald said. “Part of that is (because) it’s tougher. Everyone is aware of the fact that it’s a tough climate out there with a lot of private equity funds looking for opportunities.”

Video: VF CEO on acquisitions

Rising prices for commodities ranging from corn to energy have forced food and restaurant companies to try to squeeze through the occassional price increase to cover costs.

But for restaurant chain operator McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, price changes occur not over a period of weeks and months, but over a period of hours.

The company reprints its menus twice a day, which lets it not only adjust prices to cope with rising fish costs when they occur, but also lets the company remove pricier items from the menu, switching to fish from areas where the costs are lower, Doug Schmick, chairman and chief executive, said at the Reuters Food Summit.

“We’re really only exposed to commodity pressures for legitimately six hours,” Schmick said.

The strategy was one factor that helped the company weather a jump in fish costs last year, when Avian flu concerns in Asia and Europe caused consumers to switch from poultry to fish, driving up fish prices, Schmick said.