date:Mar 11, 2013
nge on Friday afternoon, touching their highest levels since April and approaching their all-time high of just over $100 in January 2012.
U.S. PRESSURES
Excluding the impact of an extra day in February 2012 due to the leap year, comparable sales were up 1.7 percent globally and rose everywhere except the United States, where sales were flat.
Investors paid extra attention to results from the United States, because the January 1 payroll tax hike, higher gas prices and delayed federal tax retur