Holiday spending might launch a robust U.S. recovery

.

A surprise rebound in holiday shopping stands a good chance of leading the U.S. into an accelerating economy, Jacqueline Doherty and Michael Santoli write in Barron's. The spending spree is backed by an improvement in household finances and matched by a rally on Wall Street. With Americans still paying down debt, there's a good chance consumer spending will hold up, they write. Full story here