1.   Analysts fear continued warm weather and consumer caution will force retailers to resort to deep discounts to garner sales, which will cut into fourth-quarter earnings.

2.   Analysts blamed the second consecutive monthly decline on strong first-quarter demand, strikes at GM and Chrysler Corp., and consumer caution.

3.   Analysts say this anomaly reflects a remarkable degree of consumer caution because good home sales usually translate into strong markets for big-ticket household furnishings items.

4.   Consumer caution caused by small pay increases as well as already high debts are taking a toll, analysts said.

5.   Continued consumer caution and the rumble of higher interest rates did not improve their mood.

6.   Consumer caution caused by small pay increases as well as already high debts is taking a toll, analysts said.

7.   Retail sales have been sluggish since before Christmas but Clairs is reluctant to attribute the slowdown to consumer caution ahead of the election.

8.   The rush that retailers expect is likely to be tempered by some consumer caution.

9.   The relatively low number of consumers who have switched supplier is attributed to a lack of information and general consumer caution.