The U.S. Census Bureau has announced that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for October, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $363.7 billion, a decrease of 2.8 percent from the previous month and 4.1 percent below October 2007. Total sales for the August through October 2008 period were down 1.3 percent from the same period a year ago.

Retail trade sales were down 3.1 percent from September 2008 and were 5.0 percent below last year. Motor vehicle and parts dealers sales were down 23.4 percent from October 2007 and sales of furniture and home furnishings stores sales were down 13.5 percent from last year.

Firethorn Holdings has announced the introduction of a mobile application upgrade capability which will "enable Firethorn to transition its financial institution and wireless operator relationships from banking to broader mobile commerce functionality." READ MORE

First Data Corp. has reported financial results for the third quarter 2008 - with consolidated revenues growing 4% to $2.2 billion. FDC's strongest revenue growth was in international with a 19% increase in revenue. Its weakest segment, Financial Services, saw revenues decline 5%. Merchant services grew 6%. A webcast is scheduled to discuss the results later this morning.

The US Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board have announced the release of a joint final rule to implement the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. READ MORE

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