Last minute and online save Christmas

Despite the arctic weather and economic concerns, retailers are

still optimistic about Christmas Eve sales, expected to be their savior of the season. FashionUnited Top 100 Index approached Christmas Eve with a light drop that downed it to 1,269 points on Thursday.

In the UK, one of the countries worst battered by the extreme cold conditions, the industry body for online retail (IMRG) predicts that online sales will surge to their highest level for Christmas Day this year, as shoppers hunt for winter sale bargains ahead of the rise in VAT next year. It also predicts that the VAT increase means that consumers will be making more big-ticket purchases online. IMRG said that despite adverse weather conditions affecting postage, consumers would still shop online for the convenience it offers. David Smith, managing director of IMRG, said that with many shoppers unable to get to the high street, online sales could see a boost over the next few weeks. He said: "Christmas Day has become a busy online shopping day in recent years, as people with an eye for value look to take advantage of the 24/7 nature of online retail."

Crossing the Pond, similar hopes were found in America, as retailers are expecting the last-minute rush to cap the best year since 2007, and possibly ever. Analysts explain that with Christmas falling on a Saturday this year, Friday is a holiday for most U.S. workers. That lets shoppers hit the stores first thing in the morning.

A strong Christmas Eve would round out a surprisingly successful holiday season for retailers. The National Retail Federation predicts that holiday spending will reach $451.5 billion this year, up 3.3 percent over last year. That would be the biggest year-over-year increase since 2006, and the largest total since spending hit a record $452.8 billion in 2007. A strong finish could even give 2010 the crow

Nike’s direct competitor Puma was benefiting from those investors ready to bet for sportswear and closed up by 1.17%. Regarding the losers of the session, all of them were located within Europe, still suffering from the logistic chaos initiated with the bad meteorological conditions.