سلام زبان

Photo: AP

Shoppers walk in front of a bus with a huge clothing advertisement on Black Friday. The Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

The season for buying Christmas gifts is the busiest time for most stores and online retailers in the United States. Final numbers for the holiday season including after-Christmas sales will not be known for a while. But a report this week on retail sales in November suggested that economic growth may be gaining speed.

The Commerce Department said sales increased for the fifth month in a row. They grew by eight-tenths of one percent over October.

But Tuesday's report came the same day the central bank said the economy is not growing fast enough to reduce unemployment.

So, policy makers at the Federal Reserve voted to continue a program of buying government bonds. That program, launched in November, could inject six hundred billion dollars into the economy.

The aim is to increase economic growth by lowering long-term interest rates. That would reduce borrowing costs for businesses and individuals.

But long-term rates have risen since the Fed launched its latest program of so-called quantitative easing, known as "QE2."

The rates are up in part because investors are concerned about government policies. But experts say investors may also be more hopeful about the economy and looking for investments with higher returns than Treasury securities.

One way to get a sense of how Americans feel about the economy is through retail sales. Consumer demand drives about seventy percent of the nation's economic activity.

The National Retail Federation says its members employ twenty-five million people in the retail and services industry. Those businesses reported almost two and a half trillion dollars in sales last year.

Terry Lundgren is chief executive of Macy's, the company that owns Macy’s and Bloomingdales department stores.

TERRY LUNDGREN: "Retail and restaurants represent one in five jobs in America. So if we do well, we grow, than we’re going to be the ones that will start to lead us into a recovery and out of the difficulty that we've had in terms of job hiring, unemployment and all of those challenging issues that relate to that."

The kinds of stores where sales are up also says something about the economy. Stores with the lowest prices do well in hard economic times. But the retail federation said at the end of November that discounters had fewer shoppers this year. Stores that sell jewelry and other higher-priced items have seen sales grow.

Another change: Americans are less willing to buy on credit. Over forty percent of holiday shoppers said they planned to mainly use debit cards instead of credit cards. Instead of borrowing money, debit cards take money directly from a bank account.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter and Mil Arcega. I’m Steve Ember.

please explain to me the difference between '' debit card '' and '' credit card '' . thank you.

It is good to know that Americans are more willing to spend this Christmas season. I think it is a sign of economy recovery. Also, it is interesting that debit cards are popular in America. I wonder if paying by debit cards, instead of credit cards, people can earn points which are exchangeable for goods and services.

It is the comming Christmas season, It is the comming economic growth.

It seems that US is really recovering, which is a good news for all the people in the world.

Oh,yeah.Christmas is coming~

It's very good that people are starting to use debit cards instead of credit cards because they shop according to their budget and no longer borrow from the bank .Me for exaple I try to spend less before Christmas and when the sales started I have to admit, I spend all my savings and from my credit card.

@tkthan :“debit card '' is a card that the money is taken directly from bank when you spend money at anywhere else by using deibt card. “Credit card” is a card that an accumulated money spent by you. Each month,the bank will send you the monthly statement which indicates how much you owe the bank,and minimum how much you should pay for it.

@tkthan :“debit card '' is a card that the money is taken directly from bank when you spend money at anywhere else by using deibt card. “Credit card” is a card that an accumulated money spent by you. Each month,the bank will send you the monthly statement which indicates how much you owe the bank,and minimum how much you should pay for it.

Both card have it own adventage and disadentage.debit card is more controllable and refrain you from over spending. thanks VOA

Both card have it own adventage and disadentage.debit card is more controllable and refrain you from over spending. thanks VOA

Christmas and the new year are coming, which means an excellent holiday for those who want to recreate themselves after a long period of hard working. I will go home to watch my parents who had worked hard to foster their son. I love them deeply. It is not only the shoping days but also a loving seson which shows the warmth of the family's support.

Debit card allows to take and spend money you've saved on your account. Credit card-virtual money, borrowed by bank. The sum must be much higher, so you become dependant on bank.

Debit card allows to take and spend money you've saved on your account. Credit card-virtual money, borrowed by bank. The sum must be much higher, so you become dependant on bank.

Soon we will have Christmas. This year I want to buy more Christmas gift for my family than last year. I wish all over the world's Merry Christmas.

I also feel some busy time before Christmas around me; A lot of shoppers go to a shopping center for a Christmas gift. Parents get toys for their kids, not caring to wait in a long line for a cashier. It seems it's special time people don't care about spending a big amount. But this happy time deserves reward for the year-round work. I hope this Christmas time will be a chance for the better economy.

I also feel some busy time before Christmas around me; A lot of shoppers go to a shopping center for a Christmas gift. Parents get toys for their kids, not caring to wait in a long line for a cashier. It seems it's special time people don't care about spending a big amount. But this happy time deserves reward for the year-round work. I hope this Christmas time will be a chance for the better economy.

A debit card can take the money directly from your bank account (so if you don't have money any more on your bank account, you can't make shopping because you can't pay), a credit card is a sort of loan in advance, ( so you can pay your purchase even though you don't have money on your bank account with agreement of the bank (of course), but cardholders normally must pay for credit card purchase within 30 days of purchase ( in general) to avoid interest and/or penalties

A debit card can take the money directly from your bank account (so if you don't have money any more on your bank account, you can't make shopping because you can't pay), a credit card is a sort of loan in advance, ( so you can pay your purchase even though you don't have money on your bank account with agreement of the bank (of course), but cardholders normally must pay for credit card purchase within 30 days of purchase ( in general) to avoid interest and/or penalties

Some people recommend that you should bring debit card for shopping because you can control yourself . Otherwise, you will owe a large mount in your bank . Then you must to pay high interest.

We can't shopping to much ,if you shop to much,you will be poor

Christmas is a wonderful time for people because they can give the gift for their lovely persons

A cold Chrismas for America

some agencys offer customers a service to use credit card to take money from POS.the fees of using credit card to take money from POS are cheaper than from ATM.but it takes the risk of financial crime.

Unfortunately debit card and credit card are not common in the straggling country. And some people are using them as a proper , hopefully they became common at all countries. as well as now a days people are busy to buy the cristmas gifts around the world , that is way economic is getting growing day by day. ( Happy cristmas for VOA )

HSPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL YOUR STAFF,AND VOA.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE WHOLE WORLD.

HSPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL YOUR STAFF,AND VOA.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE WHOLE WORLD.

chrismas is coming, but i do not interested in it

Giving gifts for someone will make them feel happy, and you also feel too. Xmas is the greatest time for family!

thanks for answering of the difference between credit card and debit card. the inportance is to purchase to stimulus the economic recovery. enjoy your christmas now!

Thank you Lala for your simple and direct explanation about credit and debit cards.

thank you for useful information I will think about our serious economic. nowdays, South korea is embarrased about north korea. But south korea is rising the economic. Korea is a developed contrie.

holiday is coming which means friends around me are going back to home and maybe won't back again, sigh~~

The time end of year is always the shopping season. You can get goods with best price due to many especial offers for consumers. Be careful, and think what do you really want to purchase? Using debit card and credit card will become a popular trend in payment.

Christmas day is coming. After I read this article I remind of that economy is very complex and related to every event occuring around us. Even a holiday affects not only a nation's economy but also the world's economy.

All the cashier ask you what kind of card you use,debit card or credit card

This Season really is Brighter Time for Stores.Christmas is coming.I bought more christmas gift for my family then lost year.I wish all American's Merry Christmas.I wish all over the World's Merry Christmas.Merry Chritmas to all your staff VOA Your contribute to the World is excellente.Thenks VOA

I love Christmas